ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla — Deforestation.
It may be something you think happens in the jungles of the Amazon or in a far-off land.
But some say it's happening here on the First Coast.
Between 2001 and 2022, St. Johns County lost 40% of its tree canopy, according to Global Forest Watch.
St. Johns County is considering changes to its tree ordinance.
Describing the clearing of trees, Elizabeth Smith of St. Johns County said, "People do get really upset when they see a tree coming down. It almost feels like a death. And it is a death. Not only do the trees die, but also all of the creatures that depend on the trees. And I think people know that on a very intuitive level."
Smith leads a group called Fish Island Community Alliance, one of many collectives all over St. Johns County is watching and/or supporting 14 proposed changes to the county’s tree ordinance.
"I hear it everywhere I go: we’re tired of seeing clear cutting," St. Johns County Commissioner Krista Keating Joseph said She campaigned on an anti-development platform, and she presented the changes to the commission and to the county staff.
In coming up with the suggestions, she said, "I’ve met with developers, homeowners, and the community."
Proposed changes include increased fees for developers who remove special and large trees called specimen trees. Right now, according to the county’s current tree laws, a large oak tree can be removed for a fee of a few hundred dollars.
Smith said, "One of the problems with the current land development code is that it is not acting as a deterrent to developers, and large developers who are operating very lucratively in this county are not deterred at all by any fines they might incur for removing specimen trees."
Other changes would require developers to create or leave tree buffers around construction projects.
For example, Keating-Joseph said, Gate Petroleum did not have to leave a buffer when it clearcut land by its Ponte Vedra gas station and car wash. Homes on the boundary line were left with no tree buffer.
For previous stories about clearcutting, master arborist Danny Lippi has told First Coast News that developers will wipe the land clear of nearly all the trees for financial reasons.
"It comes down to economics. They flatter and clearer a property is, the more square footage you have to work and build on," Lippi noted.
However, Keating-Joseph has heard from a homebuilder that, "Trees sell houses."
"I understand that there are competing interests here," Smith said. "I understand that what we need is moderation. We have to find a common sense approach that honors business people but also protects our natural resources."
Smith said the tree law changes are a start, but she also told First Coast News that the county is at a tipping point.
"I think that county residents and taxpayers want to see their tree canopy protected. They see rapid development. They see moonscapes. They see flooding. They are seeing firsthand the effects of deforestation, and they will not tolerate it any longer," Smith said.
The proposed tree law changes will be discussed at Tuesday's St. Johns County commission meeting which starts at 9 a.m.