13 June 2023
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNT) — State officials are looking for public comment on several strains of invasive trees causing harm to the Kansas ecosystem.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) is considering a proposal to limit the number of Callery pear trees planted in Kansas every year. Trees that fall under this category include the Bradford, Cleveland Select, Chanticleer and others.
Recent efforts on the part of the Kansas Forest Service, Deep Roots KC and Evergy have attempted to replace Callery pear trees with native varieties of trees. Callery pear trees are considered a problem due to their tendency to break apart during storms and overwhelm native plants by creating dense thickets.
KDA spokeswoman Heather Lansdowne said the tree’s inherent invasiveness and its ability to spread to areas outside where it’s planted have prompted the KDA to look for solutions on how to restrict their spread in Kansas. A quarantine is also under consideration that would restrict the planting of new trees or the movement of the Callery pear into and within the Sunflower State.
Lansdowne said while the KDA is recommending the removal of all invasive species found to be growing on public and private lands, this new proposal would not include any requirement for the removal of any Callery pear trees already in the ground. This means that listing the species as a noxious weed would not be applicable in this situation.
To submit your thoughts to the KDA on the Callery pear tree, go to their website by clicking here.