How to exchange a Bradford pear tree for a free native tree
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The Bradford pear trees are incredibly invasive and non-native species that have spread rapidly across the region.
These trees are wreaking havoc on the state’s environment. You’ve probably noticed their pretty white blossoms all over St. Louis.
They’re everywhere and are considered a big problem due to the fast nature of their seeds spreading. Those seeds grow and push out native trees. This, too, becomes a problem for insects. It doesn’t have a rich food source; therefore, it can have a heavy impact on their population, which birds rely on.
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The Missouri Department of Conservation has partnered with the Missouri Invasive Plant Council, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri and Forrest Keeling Nursery in the Pear Tree Buyback Program to offer homeowners a free native tree plant in return for uprooting a Bradford pear tree they might have in their yard.
“Homeowners will cut down a Bradford pear tree in their yard and then upload the picture to their website, the Missouri Invasive Plant Council, and then they can select a free three-gallon tree of this size,” Forest ReLeaf Nursery Manager Jake Roeckle said.
The event sold out in St. Louis within three days, but there are still 13 other areas throughout the state still participating. To view other participating cities, click here.
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