Bradford Pear Bounty Program

The 2024 Bradford Pear Bounty program has officially wrapped up, and the rewards (free replacement tree or voucher towards native tree) have been distributed. But don’t let that stop you from participating! Removing these invasive trees earns you something even better than free trees—good karma points for helping protect our native ecosystems. So grab those tools, take out that pesky pear, and enjoy the satisfaction of making a positive impact on the environment!

The property owner is responsible for tree removal. You may choose to remove it yourself or hire a professional. Find a certified arborist here and/or take advantage of discounts offered by local tree companies (read more below). 

Note: Control of invasive trees is easier when they are small. 

Do not mow seedlings or small trees, however, as single stem trees will branch out and re-emerge as multiple stem trees. 

Cut stumps should be treated with an herbicide to ensure that the stumps don't re-sprout. Always use personal protective equipment. 

Learn more about Bradford & Callery pear control methods, including basal bark and girdling techniques, which are less labor intensive.  

Yes, ALL cultivars and the offspring escapees of Pyrus calleryana​ are considered invasive. Please remove all that you can! 

Learn how to ID Bradford pears here. We also recommend using apps such as iNaturalist, PictureThis or Google Lens to ID your trees. 

No. Please cut down invasive pear trees only on property you own.  There may be opportunities to help remove invasive pears in parks and other public areas in future. 

Trees planted in the tree lawn (the space between the sidewalk and the street) are typically maintained by your local municipality or homeowners association. Contact your city, village or homeowners association to confirm and ask about their process for removing the invasive Bradford pear in the tree lawn and replacing it with a native Ohio tree. Do not cut trees in the tree lawn unless you have written authorization from your municipality or homeowners association. 

In Spring 2024, we offered a variety of small native tree species as rewards for participation in the "bounty" program, including flowering dogwood (Cornus floridus), bur oak ( Quercus macrocarpa), and Allegheny serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis).   The bounty reward program has concluded. 

Native trees with similar growth habits that would make good replacements include: 

• serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) 

• eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) 

• chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) 

• American plum (Prunus americana) 

• flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) 

• hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)

You can "sponsor" the removal of an invasive pear tree in the community via 1500 Trees, a local nonprofit and Pollinator Pathway partner organization. Your donation will support the removal of Bradford pears in public spaces across Licking County and the planting of large, pollinator-friendly native trees. Learn how to help.  

Bradford pears do provide flowers for generalist bees early in the spring. Non-native honey bees can be seen visiting the flowers in abundance, though there is some debate among honey bee keepers as to whether this species is preferred by honey bees or not. However, native bees often prefer native plant species to forage from. Take stock of what your property offers native bees in early spring and consider planting more spring-flowering native trees, shrubs and flowers.  For example, dogwood, willow, serviceberry, native hawthorn, and redbud all provide abundant flowers in spring and the added benefit of catering to not only generalist bees like bumble bees, but also some diet-specialist native bees. 

Large trees accelerate their carbon absorption as they grow and contribute more to combating carbon dioxide related climate change. Keeping invasive Bradford Pear trees on your property, however, is not a good strategy to improve carbon sequestration. Invasive Bradford pear trees disrupt the native ecosystems by inhibiting regeneration of native forest species. This invasive species is prone to damage and early death, as well, which will limit its carbon sequestration abilities. Carbon sequestration goals will be better served by promoting native tree species and the healthy native ecosystem that will contribute to their longevity.

Replacing mature invasive trees with native saplings is a good investment in future sustainability of ecosystems, though it may not result in immediate ecological benefits. It will take some time before they start providing prolific flowers, fruits, or carbon absorption. There are some short-term returns on the investment in native saplings, however. Even as small trees, native saplings provide leaves that support larvae of butterfly pollinators and refuges for adult butterflies. They can stabilize soils and increase habitat heterogeneity that helps myriad insects find food and shelter. Where native saplings replace invasive species, they begin to stimulate native species at other trophic levels, such as microbes and insects, which in turn can support other native biodiversity. Ecosystem benefits of fostering native trees will increase as they grow and contribute to the development of native biodiversity.