Piloting a Kentucky Bradford Pear Bounty Program

We propose a Bradford Pear Bounty program to raise awareness about callery pear and other invasive plants by offering landowners who cut down callery pear trees a native tree in exchange that they can plant. This program will be hosted in several cities (e.g. Frankfort, Lexington, one other location to be determined), partnering with local groups and tree nurseries. This work will be focused on underserved communities (using the CEJST screening tool to identify locations for additional events0. In addition to facilitating the removal of ~540 callery pear and the planting of ~540 native tree species in their place, we believe this program will raise awareness about invasives and educate the public about selecting native trees instead. This program is modeled after successful invasive exchange programs elsewhere and organizers have consulted with the directors of the South Carolina Bradford Pear Bounty Program. With these initial funds to develop the program, we hope to grow the Kentucky Bradford Pear Bounty Program into a selfsustaining program (with funding provided annually from sponsor organizations). Other states have successfully transitioned to this model and we hope to do this as well to continue the program into the future.