Fort Myers Beach • Lee County
Landscape Removal & Stump Grinding in Fort Myers Beach, FL
Clearing a yard on Fort Myers Beach starts with knowing which plants the rules protect. Sea grapes are listed as protected in the Town's Land Development Code, and the Town's dune plan notes that trimming or removing them may require a permit. Dune vegetation seaward of the state coastal construction control line is protected as well. Invasive plants are a different story. The Town's invasive plant guide, built with UF/IFAS Master Gardener volunteers, covers Brazilian pepper, Australian pine, carrotwood, lead tree, air potato and beach naupaka, each shown next to a native look-alike so the wrong plant does not get pulled. Hurricane Ian's surge, which reached 10 to 15 feet above ground on Fort Myers Beach according to the National Hurricane Center, left many yards with dead shrubs and stumps that are still in the ground. Hodges cuts, grinds stumps below grade and hauls the debris off the island.
or call (239) 301-9455
Where it comes up in Fort Myers Beach
Laguna Shores
Fairview Isles
Matanzas Pass Preserve area
Times Square area
Plants and materials that suit it in Fort Myers Beach
Questions
Do I need permission to cut back my sea grapes?
Possibly. The Town's dune plan says sea grapes are protected plants under the Town's Land Development Code and that permits may be required for trimming or removal, and state law also applies. Check with the Town before trimming hard or removing one.
Which plants on my lot should go?
Start with the invasives in the Town's guide: Brazilian pepper, Australian pine, carrotwood, lead tree, air potato, beach naupaka and Mexican petunia. The guide shows each next to the native plant it resembles, which helps you avoid removing something worth keeping.
Can you grind out stumps from storm-killed trees?
Yes. Grinding takes the stump below grade so the spot can be replanted or sodded. In sandy soil the hole fills easily, but the grindings should be removed or spread thin rather than left in a mound where they can wash into the street.