As beautiful as the flowering trees are in the Spring, one of those trees is considered an invasive species and can take over an are once filled with native trees. The Bradford Pear, whit its pretty white flowers, were first brought to North America for the use in designed landscapes for homes and parks. According to the Miami County Conservation District, it quickly interbred with native pears and took over huge areas of healthy woodlands, roadsides and other areas. Their fruit is appetizing for many birds and they spread the seed all over, taking the place of native trees and depleting the Eastern Kansas environment in a devastating way.
Kansas and Missouri are offering a new program to control Bradford Pears. This year they are offering residents a free native tree in exchange for proof they have removed an invasive pear from their properties. Residents are encouraged to chop down their Bradford Pear tree as soon as it starts to bloom, or sooner, and take a photo and submit it to the event coordinators. Links to the buyback website can be found at the Miami County Conservation website and Facebook page.
