Pine Tree Removal in Shreveport, LA

Pine tree removal is its own kind of job in northwest Louisiana. Shreveport sits at the western edge of the piney woods, and many lots, especially toward Cross Lake, Blanchard, Keithville and the Bossier side, keep tall loblolly and shortleaf pines that were there before the houses. A healthy pine can be a fine yard tree. A pine that has been hit by beetles, struck by lightning or loosened at the roots is a tall, heavy tree with a small crown and a trunk that can snap anywhere along its length, often within reach of a roof.

Reading a pine in trouble

Southern pine beetles attack loblolly and shortleaf pines, among others, and they favor trees already stressed by storms, high winds or drought. The first sign is often pitch tubes: small whitish or reddish blobs of resin on the bark, sometimes described as looking like popcorn. Fine reddish boring dust in the bark crevices and at the base is another clue. Ips engraver beetles usually hit single weakened pines or the tops of trees. In hot, dry late summer, the Texas A&M Forest Service notes that an infested pine's needles can turn from green to yellow to red in about three weeks. By the time the crown is red, the tree is dead.

Why timing matters

Beetles release scents that draw more beetles, so one infested pine can lead to attacks on its neighbors. Removing it promptly, and not leaving fresh pine logs stacked next to healthy pines, lowers that risk. Dead pines also lose strength fast: Texas A&M Forest Service says they begin to decay within six to ten months and recommends removing them sooner when they stand near buildings. A dead pine that could have been taken down by a climber in spring may need a lift or crane by the next year.

Lightning and storm damage

Pines are often the tallest thing on the block, and lightning strikes are common in Shreveport's summer storms. A struck pine may show a long strip of bark blown off down the trunk, or nothing at all for a few weeks before the needles fade. We look at struck and wind-damaged pines for cracks, resin flow and beetle activity before deciding whether they can stay.

How we take pines down

Near houses, pines come down from the top: a climber or lift removes limbs and then sections of trunk, lowering them on ropes. In open ground, a pine can sometimes be felled in one piece after we check the lean and the landing zone. Pine is not good firewood for indoor fireplaces, so most people have us haul it off, though logs can be left for outdoor use if you want them.