Committee votes to ask council to enable staff permits for Category 1 invasive plant control on Fort Myers Beach

The Advisory Committee of the Marine and Environmental Resource Task Force voted unanimously to ask the Town Council to authorize staff beach permits for control of Category 1 invasive plants and to encourage private property owners and multifamily complexes to control spread of invasive species.

Committee discussion focused on Australian pines, scaevola (referred to in discussion as beach naupaka), Brazilian pepper and other plants on the Florida invasive plant list. Members said the species have proliferated on vacant and storm-damaged properties in the last two to three years and that saplings are spreading from mature specimens. The committee discussed educational outreach and volunteer removal efforts and suggested coordinating community volunteer events.

A town staff member said field permits have been obtained in the past and typically are conditioned to avoid work during sea turtle or bird nesting season; he described the usual approach: cut at the substrate and treat regrowth with an EPA‑approved herbicide. He said a field permit typically takes “30 days or less” to obtain and that, absent an FWC concession, work would proceed after November 1 to avoid avian nesting concerns.

The committee proposed asking council to authorize staff to issue beach permits for Category 1 invasive plant control and to encourage private owners and multi‑family properties to control the infestations. A motion to present that request to the council was made, seconded and carried unanimously with all members present saying “aye.”