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Hurricane Preparedness
The Louisiana Urban Forestry Council encourages citizens and units of local government to be prepare their trees for hurricane season (June 1 - November 30) each year. Also, the LUFC has recommendations to follow after a tropical systems makes landfall. The following links provide information to prepare.
Before Hurricane Season begins, the Louisiana Urban Forestry Council encourages preventive steps that will help to reduce any damage from trees should a tropical system make landfall near you. Property owners get nervous and remove all large trees near their homes when there exists the threat of an approaching storm. Such removals may very well result in higher utility bills, a barren landscape and sometimes heart felt regrets.
If a pre-storm assessment is preformed by a highly qualified ISA Certified arborist, it is possible that a tree can be pruned to become storm-ready. Such a tree may serve as a wind buffer to your home, providing it is structurally sound and has an intact root system.
It may be worth your while to begin looking for a licensed arborist that could be of assistance before hurricane season or in the days after the landfall of a tropical system. A list of licensed arborist can be found on the website of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
When a storm strikes trees can play an important role by buffering homes from strong winds. In some cases well-maintained trees play a role in protecting our homes.
Planting "the right tree in the right place" will maximize the environmental benefits trees provided to a community. While it may be arguable as to just what it means to plant the right tree in the right place, there are some basic guidelines that are important in deciding where a tree may be planted. One should always consider the impact tree branches and roots have on electrical, water, sewer and storm drainage lines.
To get help with hurricane resistant tree selection visit: LSU Ag Center
For planting tips: How-To Movie
Tree maintenance not only makes a tree "look good," but maintenance, also, ensures that the tree will be healthy with a strong, safe structure as it grows. An annual visit from a qualified arborist can provide the same security to our trees as an annual termite inspection provides for our homes. Unfortunately we tend to let our trees grow without any planned care, and, in some cases, we are not even sure what species they are unless it's an obvious pine or oak.
When a homeowner addresses tree maintenance with a qualified arborist (and not from the "low-bid takedown artist"), the homeowner generally develops a relationship with a local arborist that can lead to a storm plan.
Some homeowners/property owners have relationships with out- of- town arborists in the event of a storm. Generally the out of town arborist assists a local arborist with customers. Utility companies, for example, have a highly organized storm response plan with out-of-town/state utility arborists to help out in the days following a tropical system's landfall.
Whether during regular tree maintenance or in a time following the landfall of a storm, if you decide to hire someone to do tree work, the State of Louisiana requires that work be performed by a licensed arborist only. Hiring someone not licensed in Louisiana can have a negative, economic ramification on a homeowner or property owner if someone is injured or if property is damaged. Make sure that the vendor is licensed and insured. As to see documentation and make an effort to verify the authenticity of the documents. Ask for an estimate in writing. If the company is legitimate, this will not be an issue. Do not hire anyone with a written contract that spells out the work plan, the clean-up plan and a final price. Do not give a deposit before the work begins.
For information about hiring an arborist visit: LSU Ag Center
If you would like to get more information, please visit: National Arbor Day Foundation for Trees
