Spring is in the air… and so are Callery pears. The Callery Pear Buyback program is back in Missouri. Every year, a partnership between the Missouri Invasive Plant Council, Magnificent Missouri, Forest Keeling Nursery, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, the Missouri Prairie Foundation, and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) hosts a Callery (or Bradford) pear buyback program in multiple locations around the state. Through this program, property owners can cut down one (or multiple!) Callery pear tree and receive a free, native tree in return.
Registration is open from March 16th to April 16th, 2026, and participants must register and submit a photo of their cut-down Caller pear tree(s) to be eligible. One free native tree will be provided per registered participant, and tree species can be selected based on availability at participating locations.
For official rules and registration, visit the Pear Buyback page from the Missouri Invasive Plant Council.
Why are Callery Pears Problematic?
Callery pears are an ornamental but undesirable species that has spread through both wild and urban areas. These trees are very often prone to breaking and splitting during storms, posing a threat to landowners and wildlife alike. Their aggressive growth also allows them to quickly populate and take over areas in dense thickets, suppressing native habitats and costing millions of dollars in management and control.
Callery pears are often spread by wind, water, and wildlife, so cutting down a Callery pear, whether it is standing alone or in a group of other pear trees, helps immensely in the effort to control the spread of invasive populations. Learn more about Callery pear control from MDC and learn how to identify Callery pear from MoInvasives.org.
