Construction workers began removing the invasive Australian pine trees in Jaycee Park early Tuesday morning. The city plans on replacing them with hundred of other trees.
Cape Coral resident Kathe Lopez watched as it happened.
"Two diggers came in and chains," Lopez said. "They started the chainsaws. There were a few of us there. We all screamed, 'No!'"
It's the first step in updating the park, and it's a heartbreaking reality for many residents who used the park.
"I'm saying goodbye," Cape Coral resident Cheryl Samuelson said. "It's sad. I can't believe that they could do something like this."
Win Everham, an FGCU environmental professor, said the invasive Australian pine trees are beautiful, but they cause problems for wildlife.
"Their strategy is to have a root system that's shallow and spread out so that they can grab the water as it, as it hits them," Everham said.
"That shallow, spread out root system on our near coastal dunes where sea turtles come up, the next creates problems for them."
He hopes the new trees will bring new life.
Those against the changes said the city does not have a permit from the Florida Water Management District to take down the invasive trees.
The city said the work to remove the trees does not require a permit.
We are waiting to hear back on whether it has a permit.