Tree Removal in Gretna, LA

A tree that leans toward your roof, or one that has started dropping heavy limbs, raises two questions. If you’re weighing tree removal in Gretna, the first is whether the tree actually needs to go. The second is how to bring it down with care around the house, the fence and anything else within reach.

Big Easy Tree Removal takes trees down across the city, from Huey P. Long Avenue to the streets around Mel Ott Park. This page is about removals. To see every service we offer on this side of the river, visit our Gretna tree service page.

Old neighborhoods, big trees and West Bank weather

Gretna is the parish seat of Jefferson Parish, and much of its character comes from two historic districts. Mechanickham, laid out in 1836 and often called Old Gretna, and McDonoghville, which dates to 1815 and has been part of the city since 1913, are the two the city recognizes, and the city’s website also features Historic Huey P. Long Avenue. If your property is in one of those districts, there is an extra rules question covered below.

A few things shape the decision on a Gretna tree. The first is species. LSU AgCenter lists laurel oak, water oak and pecan among the trees least able to stand up to wind, while live oak, bald cypress and southern magnolia hold up far better. A tall water oak leaning over a Gretna roof is a very different risk from a broad live oak in the same spot.

The second is termites. LSU AgCenter notes that the Formosan subterranean termite infests the wood of live trees, and that weakened trees are susceptible to being blown over in high winds. A trunk can look solid from the sidewalk and still be hollow inside. Chinese tallow is the third. LSU AgCenter calls it a common sight in yards across Louisiana and says it outcompetes native trees, which is one reason a homeowner may choose to take a tallow out.

Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon in 2021 as a Category 4 storm, and Katrina came ashore near Buras in 2005. A tree that lived through hard wind may carry cracks you can’t see from the ground, so it is worth a second look even if it seems fine now.

Signs it’s time to take a tree down

A lot of trees can stay. Good tree trimming can lighten a heavy limb, clear a roof or open up a crowded canopy. Removal starts to make more sense when you see:

• A crack running through the trunk or where two main stems join.
• Soft wood, hollow spots or a cavity at the base that could point to termite damage.
• A lean that has gotten worse, or soil heaving up on one side of the base.
• A crown that is mostly dead, or bare limbs that keep coming down in storms.
• A tallow or other fast grower that has outgrown a small yard.

When you can’t tell whether a tree is declining or just stressed, our Gretna arborist services page covers what a health and risk visit looks at.

City rules to check before cutting

Gretna’s Unified Development Code draws a clear line at the street. Under Sec. 58-272(d)(1), it is unlawful to prune, destroy, deface or cut down any tree or limbs in the public right-of-way or on other public land in the city except with written approval from the Planning Director. If the tree grows between the sidewalk and the street, it may be on public land, so ask the Planning Department before anyone cuts.

On private land, Sec. 58-270 sets up a tree removal plan process for larger development, redevelopment and site modification projects, where a plan must be approved by the Planning Director before protected trees come out. An ordinary backyard removal on a small lot generally falls outside that section, but confirm if you’re planning construction. You can read both sections in the city’s Unified Development Code.

Historic districts add one more question. The Gretna Historic District Commission requires its approval for exterior work visible from the street in Mechanickham and McDonoghville. The code doesn’t say plainly whether tree removal counts, so if you live in either district, ask the HDC staff whether your project needs review before scheduling.

What happens on a Gretna removal

1. Walk-through. We look at the tree’s condition, what sits under it, where the lines run and how equipment can reach it.
2. Free written estimate. Scope and price go on paper before any work is booked.
3. Rules check. We talk through whether the tree is on city land or inside a historic district so you can get any approval sorted early.
4. Sectional takedown. When a tree stands close to a house or fence, it comes apart from the top. Each piece is cut and lowered on ropes to guide it into open space and away from roofs, fences and gardens.
5. Chipping and haul-off. Brush goes through the chipper, wood is hauled away and the yard is raked clean.

For large removals, crane work and storm response, our fulfillment partner Gulf Coast Tree Service supplies the heavy equipment and crew, and you keep one point of contact from the estimate through clean-up.

If limbs are touching a power line, don’t let anyone climb near it. Gretna is served by Entergy Louisiana, so call the utility to make the line safe before the tree work starts.

Once the tree is gone

The stump stays in the ground unless you ask for it to be removed. Grinding it lets the spot take grass, a new tree or a patio. See stump grinding in Gretna for how that works. If you own property across the river too, we also handle tree removal in Metairie and tree removal in Harahan. For a broader look at how we plan removals, read our main tree removal services page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I remove the tree between my sidewalk and the street in Gretna?

Not on your own say-so. Gretna’s development code makes it unlawful to prune or cut down trees in the public right-of-way or on other city land without written approval from the Planning Director. That strip by the curb is often public right-of-way. Contact the city’s Planning Department with the address and a photo, and wait for written approval before anyone cuts.

My house is in McDonoghville. Is there an extra step for removing a tree?

Possibly. The Gretna Historic District Commission requires approval for exterior work visible from the street in McDonoghville and Mechanickham. The rules don’t spell out whether that includes tree removal, so ask the HDC staff before you book the job. It is a short call, and it can save a delay later.

How do you take down a tree that sits right against a neighbor’s fence?

Piece by piece. A climber works from the top down, cutting limbs and short trunk sections and lowering each one on a rope into open space. The point is to control where each piece comes down instead of letting it fall toward the fence. If the tree is too large or too damaged to climb, our fulfillment partner brings in the heavy equipment the job calls for.

Should a pecan or water oak near my house come down before hurricane season?

Not automatically. LSU AgCenter ranks pecan and water oak among the less wind-resistant trees, so they deserve a closer look when they stand over a roof. Some can be kept with pruning to reduce weight and sail. Others, especially ones with termite damage or a cracked trunk, are better removed. A walk-through can help show which case you have.

Talk to us about your Gretna tree

If a tree in your yard is cracked, leaning or crowding the house, call 504-732-1166 or ask for a free written estimate. We’ll look at the tree with you, point out any city or historic-district question, and put a plan in writing before anyone starts cutting.