Stumped by Tree Troubles? We're Here for You! - Get Your FREE Estimates!
Stumped by Tree Troubles? We're Here for You! - Get Your FREE Estimates!
In Slidell, tree questions often start with a worry. The pine by the bedroom has a lean it didn’t have last year, or the oak out front dropped a big limb in a thunderstorm. Arborist work is about answering that worry with a clear look at the tree before anyone reaches for a saw. Sometimes the answer is pruning, sometimes it’s care over a season or two, and sometimes the tree really should come out.
Big Easy Tree Removal offers assessment visits for Slidell homeowners who want to know where a tree stands. For our full lineup in town, see our tree services in Slidell page.
An assessment walks through four questions, in roughly this order.
Is the tree healthy? Thin or dying sections of crown, loose or damaged bark, fungus near the base and dead wood all say something about how the tree is doing.
Is it a risk to anything? A weak tree in the middle of an empty lot is a different matter from one hanging over a roof, a driveway or a neighbor’s fence. Lean, cracks, cavities and the condition of the root zone all feed into this.
Would pruning help? Removing dead wood, thinning a heavy side or lifting limbs off a roofline can take pressure off a tree. When pruning is the answer, you get a plan for what to cut and when, and the work itself runs through our tree trimming service.
Can it be saved? Some trees respond well to care, like tree preservation work, fertilization or tree support systems. Others are past that point, and it’s better to hear it plainly.
Live oak, bald cypress, southern magnolia and pines all grow across this part of St. Tammany Parish. Each handles wet ground and wind differently, so the species matters when judging a tree.
The ground itself is a factor. A longleaf pine report hosted on the City of Mandeville’s site describes the parish’s south half, Slidell included, as flat, poorly drained and seasonally wet pine flatwoods. Roots in soil that stays wet for long stretches can have a harder time, and a tree growing in those conditions may deserve closer watching.
Then there is weather. The National Weather Service reported that Hurricane Ida downed thousands of trees across the parish in 2021 and that two tornadoes struck Slidell. Trees that survived may still carry cracked unions or damaged roots. Pines need extra attention after that kind of stress. LSU AgCenter notes that stressed and storm-damaged pines attract Ips engraver beetles and southern pine beetles, and an early look can help you decide what to do before the damage spreads. If an assessment turns up a tree that needs a large removal or storm work, our fulfillment partner Gulf Coast Tree Service handles the heavy equipment side.
Slidell’s tree rules give arborists a formal role. Inside city limits, Article 9 of the Slidell development code says a tree removal permit is required before removing any protected tree (non-invasive, 12 inches DBH or more) or heritage tree (24 inches DBH or more). The same article says a Louisiana State Licensed Arborist must apply for tree removal permits, and the Department of Planning reviews them.
A tree that is dead, dying or hazardous can be an approved reason for removal, backed by a written opinion from a state licensed arborist or a landscape architect. The code also limits how much of a tree’s canopy can be pruned in a year, which is one reason a pruning plan for a big Slidell tree may be spread over more than one season.
If you’re planning a permitted removal, ask whoever you hire who will apply for the permit and who will write any opinion the city needs. Eden Isles and other unincorporated areas near Slidell fall under St. Tammany Parish rules instead, so check with the parish’s Planning & Development office there.
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) says arborist licenses are required if you work on trees for a fee. Under La. R.S. 3:3808, the arborist license covers the removal of a tree or a portion of a tree, and state law sets out a separate utility arborist license for work in utility rights-of-way.
Before you hire anyone for paid tree work, it is reasonable to ask for their LDAF license number and check it yourself. LDAF’s arborist licensing page is the place to start. If a contractor can’t give you a number, that tells you something too.
When you’ve got your answer, the next step is usually one of our sibling pages: Slidell tree removal if the tree has to go, or stump grinding in Slidell for what’s left after. Our main arborist services page covers the approach in more depth, and Northshore neighbors can compare our Mandeville arborist page.
It can point you in the right direction. An inspection looks at the bark, the base of the trunk and the color of the crown for signs of insect activity and decline. LSU AgCenter notes that stressed and storm-damaged pines attract Ips engraver and southern pine beetles, so a pine that took a hit in a storm or sits in soggy ground is worth checking sooner rather than later.
If the dead tree is large enough to count as protected or heritage under Slidell’s code, the permit process lists a dead, dying or hazardous tree as a valid reason for removal, backed by a written opinion from a state licensed arborist or a landscape architect. Ask whoever you hire who will apply for the permit and provide that opinion. Smaller trees and unincorporated addresses follow different rules.
Start with LDAF, which runs the state’s arborist licensing program. Ask the contractor for the license number and the name it is issued under, then confirm it with LDAF before work begins. Also ask for proof of insurance and a written estimate that describes the work, so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.
Inside Slidell city limits, the code limits how much of a tree’s canopy can be pruned in a single year. Heavy cuts in one go can also stress a tree. A pruning plan for a large oak may split the work into stages, starting with dead or dangerous wood and saving the shaping for a later visit.
If a tree on your lot has you uneasy, call 504-732-1166 or schedule a free estimate. We’ll look at the tree with you, explain what we see and give you a free written estimate for any work it needs.
A credentialed arborist scopes the work and signs off the plan before a saw leaves the truck.
General liability and workers' compensation in force. Certificates sent before we start.
New Orleans, the Northshore and the coast — through hurricane seasons, not just fair weather.
No call-out fee, no obligation, and a fixed price in writing before any work begins.
Tree down or leaning? Call us first.
Storm and hazard crews dispatch 7 days a week across New Orleans, the Northshore and the coast.
We’re grateful for all feedback. Here is what our Big Easy Tree Removal customers are saying:
