City of St. Augustine takes action against invasive plant species

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The City of St. Augustine has begun a project to remove invasive plant species from public lands and conservation properties throughout the community. The initiative is scheduled for this month.

The city contracted Kestrel Ecological Services LLC, a specialist in invasive plant management, to oversee the effort. The primary species targeted for removal include Brazilian pepper, Chinese tallow tree, camphor tree, and chinaberry tree.

To effectively control these species, the contractor will use a combination of hand-pulling and carefully applied herbicide treatments. These methods are intended to manage and reduce non-native plant populations while protecting the surrounding environment.

Work is scheduled at several prominent city parks, including Fish Island Preserve, Joe Pomar Park, Lighthouse Park, Hayling Park and Oyster Creek Park. Removal efforts will also take place at the Visitor Information Center, Hamilton Upchurch Skate Park and Coquina Park.

The project also extends to city-owned parcels on May Street and Seminole Drive. Two recently acquired conservation program sites located on Avery Street and Billings Street are also included in the management plan.

For more information about invasive plant species, residents can visit the Florida Invasive Species Council website. Questions regarding the removal project or city conservation efforts may be directed to the Land Management Coordinator at 904-209-4270.