Will the decades-old banyan tree survive?

A once majestic banyan tree sits in a heaping mess.

We told you that crews who were hacking the tree apart were told to stop because they didn’t have a permit for the work.

• READ MORE: Decades-old banyan tree hacked up in Fort Myers without permit

Now, questions surround the future of the tree that sits along Michigan Avenue in Fort Myers.

The sight of this mess and the damage done to the tree has people upset.

We spoke with a board-certified master arborist, who said there might be hope to save the tree now, but it’s what could happen years from now that has him concerned.

The tree was hacked and sawed at, leaving gaping open wounds, which neighbors say this decades-old tree is what makes this community stand out.

A landscaping crew was witnessed there over several days using chainsaws and cherrypickers to take out sections of the tree on Michigan Avenue until they were told to stop by city.

We spoke with an arborist who looked at the footage we had and said this banyan tree is at its weakest point, exposing large areas of decay.

“If it’s not maintained, it’s going to be a tragic loss if we could have saved that tree for whatever reason. It’s one of the things in this area we tend to not do a lot of a great job, and if you look around with new construction being commercial construction, we tend to remove everything and replant small, and that’s why we don’t have much for tree canopy,” the arborist said.

Banyan trees are not native to Florida, even though they are common, but they do serve an important role in keeping the environment healthy here. The permit was submitted on Wednesday and is currently in review, with a target completion date of April 15th.