A Windsor resident is responsible for the illegal removal of mangrove trees and pollution of the Indian River Lagoon from the unpermitted clearing of his Sebastian waterfront property, state and county officials told TCPalm.
Overhead footage, compared with imagery from Google Earth, has revealed the extent of tree removal from the area.
The drone image shows a 4.5-acre lot at 5200 93rd Lane in Sebastian on June 13, 2025, that is mostly submerged environmentally sensitive lowlands. Mangrove trees were illegally removed and there was pollution of the Indian River Lagoon from the unpermitted clearing of the privately owned waterfront property, according to state Department of Environmental Protection and Indian River County officials.
A ‘sickening amount of mangroves’ removed from Indian River Lagoon waterfront property
Move the white line in the slider below to see the full extent of the damage to the area.
A “sickening amount of mangroves” were removed from the Sebastian waterfront property, according to a neighbor who reported the clearing to authorities and later said she “nearly threw up” when she saw the photographs on TCPalm.
Lynn Sadler said she’s seen the deterioration of the Indian River Lagoon, its seagrasses and water quality over the 10 years she’s lived in the neighborhood, but never anything like the destruction at 5200 93rd Lane in late May.
“It was awful,” she said. “People need to be held accountable for their actions. Own it when you do wrong.”
Are Florida mangroves a protected species?
Mangroves are protected under state law. It is illegal to alter or cut down mangroves without a permit.
Clearing can result in fines up to $250 for each altered mangrove and required restoration and/or mitigation, depending on the scale of destruction and whether it’s a first, second or multiple occurrence.
Florida law — with some exceptions — allows property owners to trim “riparian mangrove fringes” that extend less than 50-feet to improve waterfront views and/or access navigable waterways. A permit is not required if homeowners follow that state’ trimming guidelines.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Photos show Indian River Lagoon waterfront property before and after mangrove clearing
Reporting by Hana Khalyleh and Timothy O’Hara, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
