MANHATTAN (KSNT) – Kansas forestry officials are getting ready to host three callery pear buyback events across the state this spring to help get rid of the invasive trees and replace them with more native plants.
The Kansas Forest Service will be hosting three callery pear buyback events in Wichita, Ellsworth and Manhattan in mid-May this year. Participants will be given the option to replace an invasive callery pear tree with a new, native tree variety that is better for the environment.
- 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12 in Wichita
- 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13 in Ellsworth
- 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 14 in Manhattan
Callery pear trees are considered invasive in Kansas and a nuisance due to their ability to break apart easily during high wind events. The Kansas Department of Agriculture will start enforcing a quarantine on these types of trees starting in 2027, meaning that people will no longer be able to move or sell these trees in Kansas.
The KFS encourages people to remove callery pear trees as soon as possible to limit the spread of this nuisance species. People who documented the removal of these trees last year or in 2026 will be eligible for the buyback events this spring.
Forestry officials require that participants in the tree buyback program present a photo of their callery pear tree and another photo displaying its stump. You can also show a bill from an arborist confirming the removal of your callery pear tree to qualify for this program.
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Participants in the buyback program can choose from a list of native tree species to replace their callery pear trees. Trees are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis with one new tree provided per household. These include the following species:
- Bur oak
- Kentucky coffee tree
- Eastern redbud
- Serviceberry
- Sargent crabapple
The KFS said that no trees will be given away outside of the dates and locations listed above. If you can’t go to one of the above events, you can arrange for someone else to pick up your tree…