Tree service in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Tree removal and trimming across the parish seat, from older streets near the lakefront to neighborhoods along Contraband and English bayous.
Lake Charles had 84,872 residents at the 2020 census and is the seat of Calcasieu Parish. The city sits on the Calcasieu River beside the lake it's named for and Prien Lake, about 30 miles from the Gulf, with Contraband, Henderson and English bayous running through it.
A city rebuilding its canopy
Hurricane Laura's winds went straight over Lake Charles in August 2020, and Delta followed in October. A 2022 assessment by the Green Infrastructure Center measured a 33 percent drop in the city's tree canopy from 2019 to 2022. The city has planted about 9,000 trees over five years, much of it through the reTreeLC program and corporate sponsors, but The Current has reported coverage around 10.6 percent, short of the 15 percent the city had before Laura. That makes saving a healthy survivor through good pruning worth considering before calling for a removal.
Bayou and lakefront lots
Yards that back onto a bayou or sit near the lake often have trees leaning toward the water on banks that stay soft. Crews usually work from the yard side, take waterside trees down in sections and keep limbs out of the channel.
Curbside rules
The city picks up vegetative debris cut to 4 feet or less and under 4 inches across. Stumps and pieces over 50 pounds aren't eligible, so plan on the tree company hauling the heavy wood. Call the city for current pickup details.
Typical calls
- Pines and water oaks still leaning from the 2020 storms
- Hanging limbs over roofs, carports and driveways
- Grinding stumps left behind by storm cleanup crews
- Live oak clearance pruning off the house
Common questions
Who is responsible for trees along the street in Lake Charles?
Check with the City of Lake Charles before cutting anything in the street right-of-way. Trees on your own lot are generally your responsibility.
Will the city take the trunk from my tree removal?
Not large pieces. City curbside collection takes limbs cut to 4 feet and under 4 inches across, and won't take stumps or items over 50 pounds.
Services in Lake Charles
- Tree removalPlanned removal of dead, declining, crowded or unwanted trees, including tight backyard takedowns.
- Storm damage tree removalTrees and limbs on roofs, vehicles, fences and driveways after hurricanes and thunderstorms.
- Leaning and damaged tree removalTrees that lean, cracked in a storm, lost their tops or are decaying near the house.
- Stump grindingGrind stumps below the soil line so you can level, sod, plant or pour.
- Tree trimming and pruningDeadwood removal, roof clearance, storm-damage cleanup in the crown and live oak pruning.
Nearby areas
A pine leaning since Laura, a limb over the carport, or stumps the city won't haul?
Call and get connected with a Louisiana-licensed tree service that works in Calcasieu Parish.