Fort Myers, FL Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned species
- FEPPC Category 1 invasive plants
- Planting/installation
- Prohibited citywide
- Post-development duty
- Site kept free in perpetuity
- Removing invasives
- No permit fee charged
- Max penalty
- 60 days jail / $500 fine
Summary
Fort Myers prohibits planting or installing any Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Category 1 invasive species and requires developed sites to stay free of them permanently, while waiving the tree-removal permit fee for removing those same species.
The use or installation of any plant species as identified in the most recent edition of the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's Invasive Plant List as a Category 1 invasive plant species shall be prohibited. After development, the site must be maintained in perpetuity, free from prohibited nuisance species defined herein.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 60).
Full Breakdown
Fort Myers Land Development Code § 138-76 bans installing or planting any species on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's Category 1 Invasive Plant List and requires that, after development, a site be maintained in perpetuity free of these prohibited nuisance species. The companion rule in § 138-75 works the other direction: a permit is required to remove any tree in the city, but the permit fee is waived when 100 percent of the trees being removed are Category 1 invasive species, the code fast-tracks removing exactly what § 138-76 forbids planting in the first place. Violations of this tree article, including § 138-76, are enforced as misdemeanors under § 138-81.
Violations & Fines
Enforced under Article III's penalty section (§ 138-81): a second-degree misdemeanor, up to 60 days imprisonment and/or a fine up to $500, with each prohibited tree or violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tree species can't be planted in Fort Myers?
Do I need a permit to remove an invasive tree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Myers
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Fort Myers to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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