Dr. Malcolm Guidry · Korean War Veteran
The Mentor Behind the Master.
He served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, then spent a lifetime serving Louisiana’s trees. At 90, Dr. Malcolm Guidry is still in the field, and he’s the mentor behind Veteran Tree Care’s Board Certified Master Arborist, Ricky Folse.
- U.S. NavyKorean War veteran
- 90Years old, and still in the field
- 1957His first degree in plant science
- 1,000+LSU campus live oaks he advised on
United States Navy · Korean War
Korean War Veteran. He Served First.
Before he spent nearly seven decades caring for Louisiana’s oldest trees, Malcolm Guidry served his country at sea, in the United States Navy, aboard an aircraft carrier in the Korean War.
A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, shown for illustration.
Service record
- United States Navy veteran
- Served in the Korean War
- AT SEAAboard an aircraft carrier
- 1954Stationed at Naval Air Station New Orleans
- 2026Back at the same air station, caring for its trees
He grew up in the woods of Old Metairie, and after serving at sea in the Korean War, he was stationed close to home: in 1954, at Naval Air Station New Orleans.
Seventy years later, he went back. The same air station, now Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Belle Chasse, is where he helps Ricky oversee the care of the trees.
For a company built by veterans, it means a great deal: the man who taught its arborist to care for Louisiana’s oldest trees served in uniform first.
Thank you for your service, Dr. Guidry.
Before the certificates
Tree Science Before There Were Certificates.
One of the longest-serving arborists still practicing, and a living library of tree knowledge. He earned his plant science degree 35 years before the first certified arborist.
ISA Certified ArboristSince 1998
Licensed ArboristState of Louisiana
Certified Nursery ProfessionalLouisiana Association of Nurserymen, 1994
DoctorateLouisiana State University
Post-doctoral master’sUrban forestry, Southern University
MemberAmerican Society of Consulting Arborists
Past presidentLouisiana Arborist Association; secretary in 2003
Forestry Research Advisory CouncilU.S. Department of Agriculture, 2004–07
Consulting arboristCity of Mandeville, since 1994
Expert witnessState and federal court, since 1990
Sources for every credential are listed at the end of this page.
Landmark trees
The Trees He’s Been Trusted With.
A selection from a career spent on some of the most important trees in Louisiana and beyond.
- 01
The Seven Sisters Oak
Mandeville, LouisianaThe largest registered southern live oak, and president of the Live Oak Society.
- 02
The Pakenham Oaks
Chalmette, LouisianaOn the battlefield of the Battle of New Orleans.
- 03
The State Capitol live oaks
Baton Rouge, LouisianaAssessed with Dr. Alex Shigo, the U.S. Forest Service scientist known as the father of modern arboriculture.
- 04
LSU’s campus live oaks
Baton Rouge, LouisianaMore than 1,000 live oaks, advised on for over two decades.
- 05
The Friendship Oak
Southeastern Louisiana University, HammondThe landmark oak of his own alma mater. He has helped preserve it since 2022.
- 06
Oak Alley Plantation
Vacherie, LouisianaThe historic plantation named for its alley of centuries-old live oaks.
- 07
Rosedown Plantation
St. Francisville, LouisianaThe historic oaks of a Louisiana State Historic Site.
- 08
The Biltmore Estate
Asheville, North CarolinaThe grounds of America’s largest privately owned home.
A life in trees
Seven Decades.
- 1940s
Grows up in the woods of Old Metairie.
- 1950s
Serves in the U.S. Navy in the Korean War, aboard an aircraft carrier.
- 1954
Stationed at Naval Air Station New Orleans.
- 1957
Earns his degree in agricultural and plant sciences at Southeastern Louisiana College.
- 1962
Becomes a county extension agent for LSU, and later for the University of Florida.
- 1974
Earns his doctorate at LSU.
- 1991
Opens his consulting arborist practice.
- 1992
The International Society of Arboriculture launches its Certified Arborist program.
- 1994
Begins advising the City of Mandeville as its consulting arborist.
- 1995
Begins advising LSU on its campus live oaks, through 2021.
- 1998
Becomes an ISA Certified Arborist.
- 2000
Co-authors research published in the Journal of Arboriculture.
- 2004
Appointed to the USDA’s Forestry Research Advisory Council.
- 2019
Speaks on hurricane recovery at the American Society of Consulting Arborists’ national conference.
- 2022
Joins the preservation of the Friendship Oak at his alma mater.
- 2025
Meets Ricky Folse at a conference in Memphis and takes him under his wing.
- 2026
At 90, walks a historic live oak grove with Ricky on camera, and returns to the Navy air station he served at in 1954 to help Ricky care for its trees.
Mentor and student
Nearly Seventy Years of Knowledge, Passed On.
They met in March 2025 at a conference in Memphis, when Dr. Guidry was introduced to the arborist doing the work for Louisiana’s veterans. He took Ricky under his wing, and Ricky has called him his main mentor ever since.
“If a tree is in stress, you don’t treat the tree. You treat the soil.”
What Ricky learned from him
- Soil firstA stressed tree is treated through its soil, not its canopy.
- The soil food webA handful of good soil holds billions of living organisms, and the tree depends on them.
- Live oaks are forest treesLawns and raked-up leaves work against them. The forest floor is what they evolved for.
- Whole-tree mulchLeaves, twigs and small branches from the chipper, never bagged or dyed mulch.
- Deadwood onlyOn an old oak, never remove wood that still carries green leaves.
“You’re on point doing a good job.”
18:05
On camera
Watch Them Together.
Dr. Guidry walks a historic live oak grove with Ricky, reads the grove’s history in its trunks, and reviews Ricky’s plan for the oldest trees: deadwood only, biochar and soil biology, and whole-tree chips.
Get started
Preserving Louisiana’s Living History.
-
Residential tree work
Pruning, removal and stump grinding, planned and done by the arborist you meet.
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Advanced arboriculture
Historic trees, risk assessments, legal or insurance questions, construction planning and commercial work.
Schedule an arborist consultation -
Emergencies
Trees on homes, cars, roads or lines. 24/7.
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Veterans
Structure, camaraderie, purpose and a path to leadership.
Continue your mission with us
Appendix
Sources & Credits.
The facts on this page come from the records below: state and professional registries, published research, news reports, city minutes, court opinions and Dr. Guidry’s own CV, each linked to the original. His Navy service and the story of his mentorship come from Ricky, who has worked alongside him since 2025, and from their video together.
Licenses and credentials
Licensed Arborists, statewide list PDFLouisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry · July 2026
ISA Certified Arborist® credential SO-1547AInternational Society of Arboriculture · since 1998
Dr. Malcolm Guidry, member profileAmerican Society of Consulting Arborists
Complete Membership of Louisiana Arborist AssociationLouisiana Arborist Association · membership roster, 2003
Officers 2003Louisiana Arborist Association · lists him as secretary
Education and research
Role of the Local Retail Garden Center as an Educational Adjunct to the Cooperative Extension ServiceMalcolm Michel Guidry · EdD dissertation, Louisiana State University · 1974
Assessing Residents’ Willingness to Pay to Preserve the Community Urban Forest: A Small-City Case Study PDFLorenzo, Blanche, Qi and Guidry · Journal of Arboriculture 26(6) · November 2000
Malcolm Guidry, author profileSemantic Scholar
Curriculum vitae PDFMalcolm Guidry Consulting Arborist, LLC · April 2024
Profiles and press
The Tree Doctor Will See You NowWebb Williams · Inside Northside · March–April 2012
Dr. Fred Fellner & Dr. Malcolm Guidry: Professional Consulting ArboristsDr. Fred Fellner · About page
Dr. Malcolm M. Guidry, directory listingLouisiana Land Conservation Assistance Network · August 2022
Professionalism for Our Industry PDFMalcolm Guidry · Louisiana Nurseryman · March 1994
Geaux Hiking Club PDFSheila Edwards · Diamondhead News · March 2024
The Friendship Oak, Southeastern Louisiana University
Changes underway to preserve Friendship OakIan Stewart · The Lion’s Roar · October 31, 2022
Southeastern Louisiana University’s Friendship Oak Preservation ProjectJulia Jordan · Medium · December 3, 2022
Traffic around Friendship Circle remains off limitsIan Stewart · The Lion’s Roar · January 15, 2023
Restoration of a campus symbolIan Stewart · The Lion’s Roar · August 22, 2023
SLU community gathers for Friendship OakIan Stewart · The Lion’s Roar · June 4, 2024
Centennial celebrations take root with Friendship Oak presentationSimone Herlihy · The Lion’s Roar · October 29, 2024
New Friendship Grove keeps legacy aliveIan Stewart · The Lion’s Roar · August 22, 2025
New Friendship Grove rooted in traditionEva Saladino and Tyra Johnson · The Lion’s Roar · January 12, 2026
City of Mandeville
Zoning Commission work session minutes PDFCity of Mandeville · July 9, 2019
Parks and Parkways Commission minutes (draft) PDFCity of Mandeville · September 14, 2026
Conferences and talks
All Things Green: 30th Urban Forestry and Green Infrastructure Educational Summit PDFMississippi Urban Forest Council · Jackson, October 2017
Mississippi Urban Forestry Council Meets in Ridgeland Nov. 1 & 2, 2018Visit Ridgeland · October 2018 · archived copy
ASCA 2019 Annual Conference scheduleAmerican Society of Consulting Arborists · New Orleans, December 2019 · archived copy
Managing Trees After a Massive Drought: 64th Annual Urban Forestry ConferenceMississippi Urban Forest Council · May 22, 2024
Program Descriptions for 2024 Urban Forestry Conference PDFMississippi Urban Forest Council · May 2024
Court records
Court opinions that cite Dr. Guidry’s expert testimony or reports.
State v. Revere572 So. 2d 117 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1990)
Caples v. USAA Insurance Co.806 So. 2d 148 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2001)
639 Julia Street Partners v. City of New Orleans830 So. 2d 1131 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2002)
Callison v. Livingston Timber, Inc.849 So. 2d 649 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2003)
Sampedro v. City of Kenner989 So. 2d 111 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2008)
Hooper v. Wisteria Lakes Subdivision135 So. 3d 9 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2013)
Cenac v. Evangeline Business Park, LLC PDFNo. 2015 CA 0198 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2016)
White v. Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development269 So. 3d 1031 (La. App. 3 Cir. 2019)
Thibodeaux v. Allstate Insurance Co. PDF293 So. 3d 797 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2020)
Pierron v. Kimpton415 So. 3d 414 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2025)
CMP, LLC v. Board of Commissioners for the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District PDFNo. 24-2298 (E.D. La. 2026)
Background
For the history and landmark trees mentioned on this page.
ISA Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Certified Arborist CredentialWashington State Department of Natural Resources · October 17, 2022
Celebrating Dr. Alex ShigoSteven Pregler · Tree Care Industry Magazine · October 1, 2021
Seven Sisters OakWikipedia
Oak Alley PlantationWikipedia
Rosedown PlantationWikipedia
Biltmore EstateWikipedia
Service ribbons
Who qualifies for the Korean War service ribbons shown on this page.
National Defense Service MedalWikipedia
Korean Service MedalWikipedia
United Nations Korea MedalWikipedia
Video
Saving Historic Live Oaks with Dr. Malcolm GuidryVeteran Tree Care on YouTube · June 16, 2026
Photographs Stills from Saving Historic Live Oaks with Dr. Malcolm Guidry (Veteran Tree Care, June 2026). Portrait of Dr. Guidry used with his permission. Friendship Oak: Richard David Ramsey, 2010, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Southeastern Louisiana College postcard, c. 1940: Curt Teich Postcard Archives, Newberry Library, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Ribbon images: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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