MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — When a Martin County couple called WPTV about trees being chopped down at a natural area they visit, we went searching for solutions.
They sent us these pictures of palm trees cut down and debris left along a shoreline just south of Hobe Sound.
The couple, who said they had been visiting this natural area for many years, thought the trees had been cut down at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. However, WPTV learned that the trees were chopped down at the nearby Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) sent WPTV a statement that said some of the trees aren't native to this area and were removed to manage non-native plant species.
Missy Juntunen, who works for the USFWS and is the manager of the refuge, sent the following statement to WPTV:
"The palm trees were removed as part of the refuge’s ongoing efforts to manage non‑native plant species. Some species of palm trees are not native to this area and are listed by the Florida Invasive Species Council as an invasive species. Because they can outcompete native plants and alter natural habitats, their removal is an important step in supporting the refuge’s habitat management goals and promoting a healthy, native ecosystem."
