Lee County approves contract to remove invasive plants at Six Mile Slough

FORT MYERS – The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a contract to remove invasive plant species within about 506 acres of the Six Mile Cypress Slough North. The $157,354 contract, with EarthBalance Corp., is to remove species such as melaleuca, Brazilian pepper, guinea grass and Caesar weed inside Six Mile Cypress Slough North Preserve.

The Six Mile Cypress Slough North, 11400 Luckett Road, is a Conservation 20/20 preserve and encompasses 1,219 acres. The preserve includes pine flatwoods, oak hammocks and cypress swamps. Nearly 8 miles of hiking and equestrian trails are open to the public.

Conservation 20/20 is Lee County’s environmentally-sensitive land acquisition and management program. There are 30,000 acres of conservation land protected in Lee County through the program. The program was established in 1996 through a non-binding voter referendum and reaffirmed at the ballot box in 2016, receiving 84 percent majority support from Lee County voters. Lee County manages 49 Conservation 20/20 preserves.