Ned, here's a native tree planting guide for the Baton Rouge area. It should at least give you a starting point.

Harper

Here is a link that might be useful: native trees

Ned,
The best shade tree for street use and industrial conditions is the native Sugar Hackberry (Celtus laevigata). Grows to about 70' with a spread of 50'. Moderate growth. Or, the common Hackberry (Celtis accidentalis) is another choice. Also, Live oak (Quercus virginiana) or the new form of Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) which has been bred to be sterile and does not drop the prickly gum balls. Another choice, the upright Natchez Crape myrtle which is disease free and grows to about 20' can be used in groups effectively. If you are looking for smaller trees and more info LANDSCAPE PLANTS OF THE SOUTHEST by Halfacre and Shawcroft would be a helpful resource of ideas for your landscape thoughts.

Bless your heart! Selected plants need to reflect the nature of the Church. I strongly recommend the following beauties:

The hands of the praying millions:

Their beautiful hearts are like flowers:

The institution prevailed receiving holy light:
{{gwi:1259586}}

shic, St. Bernard's Parish isn't a church, it's the equivalent of a county. Our architecture student needs sturdy trees to help rebuild the areas that have been destroyed. I think, but am not certain, that there are 4 parishes that make up New Orleans proper. I don't know much about the parish system of government, other than that.

rhizo_1,

Okay, I know ... but the region is highly religious. Besides, these carnivorous plants will love the humidity and the millions of mosquitoes  especially, they shall thrive in abandoned backyards.

of roads and levees. It has an astounding root system and is used to border roads in Asia for that reason; as a bonus it repels termites.

New Orleans is only in Orleans Parish.
St. Bernard Parish is south, just across the canal, from the lower Ninth Ward.

Industrial area trees: (*native)

Small Trees:
Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana)*
Crepe/Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) 'Natchez' is a gorgeous white bloomer with reddish peeling bark.
Saucer magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana)
Sweet bay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)*
Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera)*

Large Trees:
Bald Cypress (Taxodium disticum)*
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)*
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)*

Magnolias will not tolerate saline conditions.

Best of luck to you!
~Jac

I was born in N.O. and lived in St. Bernard Parish (in Oak Ridge Park in Violet) for 47 yrs, until I lost all, including my beautiful gardens and plants, to Katrina. Thank you for any and all help you can give. I have relocated for now to NE MISS but my brother is rebuilding there. I have many many other family who lost all there.
Many trees grow there but do consider hurricane and flood potential. And we do need greenery fast to help with air quality, erosion control, shade, and our emotional health.
I gardened there for last 22 yrs. Trees that did very well:
crape myrtles, chinese tallow (great fall color, but were considered a "nuisance" tree becoz they re-seed prolifically), drake elm, cassia, oaks, bald cypress (beware the cypress knees if you have to mow and these trees get very large), sweet gum (also get very large). I prefer smaller trees that will not fall on the house.
Please get in touch with Dan Gill. He is the resident Louisiana plant guru and has a gardening radio show on Sat. am. He is with LSU Ag center. He will be a great help and knows it all about LA. He was,is quite involved with the rebuilding as far as plants, gardens are concerned.
Please post your progress occasionally with subject line "ST Bernard" or Katrina or something like that. I would love to follow your progress. My address included Acorn, Oak, and Violet! And I felt it fit me so well. I miss home so much.

The Society for Horticultural Research, which met recently, had a speaker from SFAustin in Texas. Among many fascinating things he said, he told us of how the Chinese are using our beautiful swamp cypress to reclaim land and hold back erosion, and to stop storm surges (or tame them anyway I guess) from their equivalent of our hurricanes. They call them 'miracle trees' and have selected clones for specialized situations. He goes back to China every year, and I think would be helpful. His name is Dr. Creech (or Creach maybe?) His topic was 'native woodies for the deep south' if I remember. Hope that's enough information to be helpful!