St. Bernard Parish's seat, rebuilt from the slab up
Tree Service in Chalmette, LA
Most of the trees here went in after 2005, and they are hitting the age where shaping matters.
- Free estimates, in person, for homes in New Orleans and nearby towns
- Itemized written price before any cutting
- Logs left or hauled, your call, agreed up front
A Town Replanted
Tree Service in Chalmette is closely tied to what happened on August 29, 2005. Katrina's storm surge, around 25 feet, overflowed the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, and floodwater rose to 14 or 15 feet in parts of the town. By late October that year most buildings were judged unsalvageable. The houses, yards and trees you see today are largely the product of the rebuild, and many of the shade trees on Chalmette lots are somewhere around fifteen to twenty years old.
Young trees, real decisions
Trees at that age are growing fast and setting the structure they will carry for the rest of their lives. The things we look for on a Chalmette visit:
- Two trunks of equal size fighting for the lead, which often splits in a storm years later
- Limbs aimed at the roof or the neighbor's house that will be ten times heavier in a decade
- Trees planted too close to the slab, fence or driveway for their mature size
- Fast-growing species planted for quick shade that are already showing weak wood
At this stage, light structural pruning can solve problems with cuts an inch or two across. Waiting means bigger cuts, more decay risk and more expense.
Older trees that made it through
Some yards, and the grounds near the Chalmette Battlefield, still have trees that survived the flood. The battlefield, where Andrew Jackson's forces defeated the British under Sir Edward Pakenham in January 1815, is now part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Old trees that stood in floodwater for weeks can carry slow root and trunk decay. If you have one of those survivors in your yard, a careful inspection before heavy pruning is a good idea.
Storm defenses have changed
The MRGO was closed to ship traffic in April 2009, with a closure structure finished that July, and a 1.8-mile surge barrier costing more than $1 billion was completed in 2011. That reduces the flood threat, but it does nothing about wind. Elevated stations at Bayou Bienvenue, just east of the city, recorded a 112 mph gust during Hurricane Zeta in 2020 and 99 mph during Ida in 2021. Pre-season deadwood removal and thinning on your larger trees still matter.
A community that stays
Chalmette's 2020 population was 21,562, well below the 32,069 counted in 2000 but up from 2010. Census QuickFacts (2020-2024) shows 92.5% of residents in the same house a year earlier and 61.2% of homes owner-occupied. People who rebuilt here tend to stay, and they want the trees they planted to last.
Call (504) 384-7694 to set up a visit. We look at every tree on the lot and write up what each one needs. Get a free estimate
Chalmette Facts
- Katrina's flood. A storm surge of about 25 feet overflowed the MRGO in 2005, and floodwater reached 14 to 15 feet in parts of Chalmette.
- MRGO closed. The Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet was closed to ship traffic in 2009, and a 1.8-mile surge barrier with gates at Bayou Bienvenue was completed in 2011.
- Wind at Bayou Bienvenue. An elevated station at Bayou Bienvenue recorded a 112 mph gust in Hurricane Zeta (2020); the NWS lists 99 mph there during Hurricane Ida (2021).
- Settled households. Census QuickFacts (2020-2024) shows 92.5% of residents in the same house a year earlier and a 61.2% owner-occupied rate.
Chalmette Questions
The oak we planted after the storm is getting big. When should it first be pruned?
Now is a good time if it has never been pruned. Trees in the 15-to-20-year range respond well to structural pruning, which sets one main leader and spaces out the big limbs. It is far easier than correcting the same problems later.
Is a tree that survived the 2005 flood safe to keep?
Many are, but some carry hidden decay at the roots or base. We check for fungal growth, soft wood and dieback in the crown before recommending pruning or removal.
Can you grind stumps on a lot we are rebuilding or selling?
Yes. We grind stumps below grade and can haul the grindings off so the lot is ready for grading, sod or a new foundation.
What should I plant to replace a tree that has to come out?
Pick for the space. Live oak and bald cypress handle wet ground and wind well but need a lot of room; on a standard Chalmette lot, a smaller tree such as a Little Gem magnolia, yaupon holly or a compact crape myrtle often fits better near the house.
Who handles trees on public property in Chalmette?
Chalmette is an unincorporated community, so public property questions go to St. Bernard Parish government. Trees on the Chalmette Battlefield are managed by the National Park Service.
Free Estimates in Chalmette, LA
Free estimates across Chalmette and the rest of St. Bernard Parish's East Bank neighborhoods.
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