FWC-authorized gopher tortoise services for builders, developers, realtors, and landowners across Naples, Golden Gate Estates, Marco Island, and Ave Maria.
Collier County has some of the most active gopher tortoise habitat in Southwest Florida — and some of the most development pressure sitting on top of it. The deep, well-drained sandy soils that make Golden Gate Estates and the pine flatwoods east of Naples attractive for building are exactly the soils gopher tortoises dig their burrows in.
Golden Gate Estates is the epicenter: thousands of 1.14- to 5-acre lots, most of them wooded, being cleared for custom homes, guest houses, pools, and outbuildings. A large share of Estates lots have at least one burrow, and Florida law requires every one of them to be resolved — surveyed, and if occupied, relocated under an FWC permit — before land clearing begins.
On top of the statewide FWC rules, Collier County's Land Development Code includes its own environmental review, and many projects are asked to document listed-species status (including gopher tortoises) as part of county permitting. A current survey report from an FWC Authorized Agent answers both the county and the state in one document.
From Estates acreage to Marco Island infill — we cover the whole county.
Wooded 1.14–5 acre lots with the county's highest burrow density. Nearly every new home, pool, or land-clearing project here should start with a survey. A typical 1.14-acre lot surveys for about $1,600.
Infill lots, teardown-rebuilds, pool and lanai additions, and commercial pads along Collier Blvd and US 41 East. Scrub pockets remain even in developed corridors.
Less habitat than the mainland, but upland lots and preserve-adjacent parcels still turn up burrows — and canal-front lots that do require off-site relocation by FWC rule.
Fast-growing master-planned and agricultural areas in eastern Collier with extensive pine flatwood and pasture habitat.
The gopher tortoise is a state-designated threatened species. Under Rule 68A-27, Florida Administrative Code, it is illegal to harm a tortoise or to damage, collapse, or disturb its burrow — and FWC treats the ground within 25 feet of any burrow entrance as a no-disturbance zone. If your site plan can't keep all work (including equipment traffic and stockpiles) at least 25 feet from every burrow, you need an FWC relocation permit before clearing.
Collier County's development review also asks about listed species on many applications — site development plans, PPLs, and some single-family clearing permits in the Estates. Our FWC-format survey report, with GPS-mapped burrows, aerial exhibit, and photographs, is written to satisfy both the county reviewer and the FWC permit application.
One Collier-specific note: because lot sizes in the Estates are larger, on-site relocation is often possible — tortoises can be moved to a suitable habitat area on the back of the same parcel, which avoids the $5,000-per-tortoise recipient-site fee that smaller lots and canal-front properties usually face.
The same four steps everywhere we work — most clients only ever make one phone call.
Give us the property address and your timeline. We confirm whether a survey is needed and schedule within 48 hours.
We walk 100% of the parcel, GPS-map every burrow, and deliver an FWC-format written report the next business day.
If tortoises are present, we prepare and submit the FWC relocation permit application for you. Typical review: 2–6 weeks.
Once permitted, we capture and relocate the tortoises to an approved recipient area. You're legal to clear and build.
Same transparent pricing across our whole service area — no location markups.
| Gopher tortoise survey | $350 / quarter acre |
| Relocation (up to 2 tortoises, permit included) | $1,400 |
| Each additional tortoise | +$400 |
| Off-site recipient site fee (waterfront/canal lots — paid to the conservation site) | $5,000 / tortoise |
Full details, examples by lot size, and what's never included: see the pricing page.
Estates lot, Naples infill, or a full development — tell us the address and we'll have you scheduled within 48 hours.