Trusted Arborist Services in Hammond, LA for Healthy, Safe Trees

Arborist services in Hammond help you decide what a tree actually needs before anyone picks up a saw. Big Easy Tree Cutting offers tree health and risk assessments, pruning plans, fertilization and honest advice on whether to keep or remove a tree for homes and businesses in Hammond, with a free estimate to start.

Hammond is an incorporated city in Tangipahoa Parish, and its development code treats some trees, especially larger live oaks, as part of a protected urban forest. That makes a thoughtful assessment worth having before you make a decision you cannot undo. Our tree service in Hammond page lists everything else we do in town.

What an arborist visit covers for Hammond trees

A good assessment looks at the whole tree and the ground around it, then turns what it finds into a plan. When you call us for arborist services, we can help with:

• Tree health checks. Thin canopies, early leaf drop, dieback at the top, and bark that is cracking or peeling.
• Risk assessment. Weak branch unions, dead limbs over the house, leaning trunks and signs of root trouble.
• Pruning plans. Which limbs to remove now, which can wait, and how to shape a young tree so it grows stronger.
• Pest and disease concerns. Spotting symptoms early and talking through options.
• Fertilization. Feeding trees that are stressed or growing in poor soil.
• Storm-prep pruning. Reducing weight and wind resistance before hurricane season.
• Keep-or-remove advice. A straight answer on whether a tree can be saved.

If you want to read up before we visit, our article on how to spot tree disease walks through common symptoms. Our general approach is laid out on the main arborist services page.

How Hammond’s code looks at trees

Hammond’s Unified Development Code includes Tree and Urban Forest Preservation Standards. A few points in it are worth knowing before you plan work on a large tree.

For live oaks eight inches or more in diameter at breast height within the city, UDC § 9.1.4(D) calls for a clearing permit from the building official’s office before removal. The same section says the building department issues or denies that permit “in concurrence with the city state-licensed arborist.” In other words, the city itself brings a state-licensed arborist into live oak decisions. Whether that permit applies to an existing single-family yard is not spelled out clearly in the code, so confirm with the Hammond Building Department.

The code also defines an “Urban Forester” and refers to the city’s Public Tree Ordinance in Chapter 28, Article IV, including rules for construction within six feet of publicly owned trees. Trees on public property are the city’s to manage. Our work is on private property, so if a tree sits near the street and you are not sure who owns it, ask the city first.

Hiring a licensed arborist in Hammond: what to check

Louisiana regulates arborists at the state level, and it helps to know how that works before you hire anyone.

The Louisiana arborist license

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) issues arborist licenses through its Horticulture Commission under La. R.S. 3:3804 and 3:3808. The LDAF arborist page says that anyone who makes recommendations or performs tree-surgery type work for a fee, including tree removal, pruning, trimming, cabling, fertilization and cavity work, needs an arborist license. The state also says licenses expire on January 31 each year, so a current license matters more than an old one.

ISA certification

The International Society of Arboriculture runs a separate, voluntary credential called ISA Certified Arborist. It shows training and experience, and it comes with continuing education requirements. ISA’s own program guide says its certifications do not represent licensure or authorization to do business for a fee. You can look up an individual on the ISA credential directory.

Questions worth asking any tree company

• What is your LDAF arborist license number, and whose name is it under?
• Is the license current for this year?
• Will the license holder be on site, or supervising the crew?
• Does anyone on the team hold ISA certification, and under what name?
• Can I get the scope of work in writing?

Then check the answers yourself. LDAF publishes lists of licensed arborists on its arborist page, and you can call the department’s Horticulture office at 225-952-8100 with questions.

Getting trees ready for storm season

Tangipahoa Parish saw widespread tree and power line damage during Hurricane Ida in 2021. No amount of pruning makes a tree storm-proof. Removing dead wood, thinning a heavy crown and correcting weak structure can reduce some of the risk. If limbs reach toward a service line, contact your electric provider first. In Tangipahoa Parish that may be Entergy Louisiana or DEMCO, depending on your address. Our article on hazardous tree warning signs is a helpful checklist before the season starts.

When an assessment shows a tree needs to go, see our page on tree removal in Hammond, and for what is left behind, stump grinding in Hammond.

Arborist services near Hammond

We also offer tree care in other communities, including arborist services in Covington and arborist services in Baton Rouge.

Schedule a free tree assessment in Hammond

If a tree on your property has you worried, or you simply want a plan for keeping it healthy, we are glad to take a look. Request a free estimate on our contact page or call 504-732-9714.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does an arborist do that a regular tree crew does not?

An arborist focuses on tree health, structure and long-term care. That work can mean a pruning plan, a disease check or advice on whether a tree can be saved.

Does Louisiana require a license to work on trees?

Yes, for paid work, Louisiana generally requires an arborist license from LDAF. The LDAF arborist page lists removal, pruning, trimming, cabling, fertilization and cavity work as covered activities.

How do I check an arborist’s license in Louisiana?

Ask for the license number and the name it is issued under. Then compare it against the licensed arborist lists on the LDAF arborist page, or call LDAF’s Horticulture office at 225-952-8100.

Is ISA certification the same as a state license?

No, the two are separate. ISA certification is a voluntary private credential, and ISA states that it does not represent a license to do business.

Who decides on removing a protected live oak in Hammond?

The city does. Under UDC § 9.1.4(D), the building department issues or denies the live oak clearing permit in concurrence with the city’s state-licensed arborist, so confirm the process with the Hammond Building Department.

Can you help with trees on the street in front of my house?

We work on trees on private property. For trees that may be publicly owned, contact the City of Hammond first, since its code includes a Public Tree Ordinance.