The parish seat that remembers April 3, 1999

Tree Service in Benton, LA

Getting big trees ready for storm season, in town and on the lake.

Every estimate done in person around Shreveport and nearby towns
The written quote lists what is and is not included
Debris and stump handling decided in advance

Benton Knows What Wind Can Do

Ask about Tree Service in Benton and many people here will bring up the same date. On April 3, 1999, an F4 tornado tore through parts of the town, killing six people and injuring 90. Haymeadow, Palmetto Park and Palmetto Place, Bay Hills, Woodlake South, the Twin Lake community and lakefront homes around Cypress Lake all took damage. A storm of that strength will break almost any tree, and no pruning prevents it. What we can do is cut down the everyday risk: the dead limb over the bedroom, the split trunk by the driveway, the pine leaning toward the house after a wet winter.

A small town with a lot of shoreline

Benton is the seat of Bossier Parish, but it is a compact place, about 2.5 square miles with 2,048 residents counted in 2020. The bigger change has been around Cypress Lake, where the lakefront population nearly doubled between 2004 and 2008. Lake lots come with their own tree questions:

Trees along the bank grow toward the open water and the light, so many lean out over the lake or over docks.
Wet soil near the shore holds roots less firmly, especially after long rain.
Access can be tight between a house and the water, which often means climbing and lowering wood instead of felling.
Debris needs to stay out of the lake, so cleanup is planned before the first cut.

Storm prep that makes sense

In the weeks before spring storm season we spend a lot of time on prevention. That usually means removing dead and broken wood, reducing long limbs over roofs, taking out codominant stems with a crack in the union, and checking big trees for decay at the base. Where a tree is clearly failing, removal is the honest recommendation, and we will say so. Where it is sound, we will tell you that too, so you do not pay for work you do not need.

After a storm

If a tree is already down or hanging, start with safety. Keep people out of the area under any hanging limbs, stay clear of downed wires and call the utility about anything touching a line. Then call (318) 309-7506 with a description and photos if you can take them safely. We will tell you what can wait and what cannot, and we will put the work in writing before we start.

Everyday work in town

Not every job is about storms. Plenty of Benton homeowners just want limbs off the roof, a messy tree cleared away from the pool, or old stumps ground out so the yard can be mowed in one pass. Those are good jobs to schedule in fall and winter, when the trees are easier to read and the yards are drier. Get a free estimate

Benton by the Numbers

The 1999 tornado. On April 3, 1999, an F4 tornado struck parts of Benton, killing six people and injuring 90. Damaged areas included Haymeadow, Palmetto Park and Palmetto Place, Bay Hills, Woodlake South, Twin Lake and Cypress Lake lakefront homes.
Beryl, July 2024. On July 8, 2024, Beryl's remnants produced a record 43 tornadoes across the ArkLaTex. An EF1 tracked from near Haughton toward Benton, snapping and uprooting trees, and a Benton woman was killed when trees fell on her family's property.
Small parish seat. Benton, the seat of Bossier Parish, counted 2,048 residents in 2020 on about 2.52 square miles, with about 940 housing units at an elevation of 203 feet.

Our Services in Benton, LA

Benton Questions

Can you remove a tree that leans over my dock on Cypress Lake?

Usually, yes. Over water we cut in small sections and lower them by rope so nothing lands on the dock or in the lake. We look at the access path and where the wood will be staged before quoting.

Will pruning make my trees tornado-proof?

No. A strong tornado breaks sound trees. Pruning reduces the more common risks, such as dead limbs and weak forks failing in ordinary thunderstorms, which cause most of the damage we see.

When should I schedule storm-prep pruning in Benton?

Late fall through late winter is ideal. Leaves are down, the structure is easy to see, and the work is finished before spring storms arrive.

Some of my trees survived the 1999 tornado but were damaged. Are they safe now?

Trees that lost big limbs or were twisted in a storm can hide decay for decades where the wounds were. A tree that has grown a lot of sprouts around an old break, has hollow sections or cracks along the trunk deserves a closer look. We can check those older wounds and tell you whether the tree is still sound or has become a risk to the house.

Free Estimates in Benton, LA

Free estimates in Benton and around Cypress Lake.

Call (318) 309-7506 Free Estimate