Tree Service in Captiva, FL

Tree Service in Captiva takes planning, because everything has to come in and go out the same way. Captiva Drive runs 13 miles from the island to the Sanibel Causeway, and the causeway is the only road access. Captiva is also narrow, much narrower than Sanibel, with the Gulf on one side and Pine Island Sound on the other. Fort Myers Tree Service Pros schedules Captiva jobs so a crew, chipper and truck make the trip once, finish the work and leave with the debris the same day.

Q: Why do Captiva's trees look so different from twenty years ago? A: Hurricane Charley in August 2004 blew down most of the island's invasive Australian pines. Their loss opened space for native mangroves and sabal palms to fill in. Many of the cabbage palms you see along Captiva Drive today grew into that space. UF/IFAS research ranks cabbage palm among the most wind resistant trees in Florida, with survival above 90% in the hurricanes it studied, so the island's canopy is sturdier now than it was.

Q: What did Ian do here? A: Ian made landfall on September 28, 2022, as a Category 4 near Cayo Costa, just north of the island chain, and the causeway was heavily damaged. On Captiva the damage was uneven. The National Hurricane Center noted a sharp drop in surge height between eastern Sanibel and Captiva, so some properties lost trees to wind and salt while others came through with mostly cosmetic damage. If you still have trees that never recovered their crowns, those are the first we would look at.

Q: Is a permit needed to take a tree down? A: Captiva is unincorporated and is on Lee County's list of barrier islands with their own single-family vegetation process. Removing coconut palms and native trees requires a permit there, although removing five or fewer trees a year from a lot with an existing home is exempt. County staff inspect for protected plants and animals as part of the review. We help you figure out which category a job falls into before booking.

Q: What about the water's edge? A: Mangroves are protected under Florida's Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, which covers red, white and black mangroves, dead or alive. Sound-side lots often have them. We don't trim or remove mangroves unless the work is authorized.

Q: What do Captiva owners usually ask for?

• Coconut palm trimming before guests or renters arrive
• Taking out trees killed by salt or wind
• Trimming sea grapes and buttonwoods to reopen water views, within the rules
• Clearing limbs from roofs, decks and walkways
• Stump grinding on lots being re-landscaped

Q: How do I get an estimate if I'm not on the island? A: Many Captiva homes are second homes or rentals; the 2020 census counted only 318 year-round residents. We can meet a property manager on site and email you photos and a written estimate. Call (239) 236-3651 to set it up. Get a free estimate