11/02: Tree Exchange
The Virginia Department of Forestry will trade Virginia landowners free native trees for every invasive Callery pear they remove at our next Callery Pear Exchange event in Blacksburg on November 2.
The Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a non-native, invasive tree that is threatening ecosystems throughout the eastern and midwestern U.S.
DOF’s Callery Pear Exchange program promotes the removal of these invasive trees from the urban landscape to reduce their spread within our natural areas. This program encourages the removal of invasive Callery pear trees by providing Virginia landowners with a replacement native tree. One native tree in a 2-gallon pot will be provided for every Callery pear that has been removed, with a limit of three (3) trees per household. Preregistration is required as a limited number of trees will be available.
For safety reasons, DOF recommends hiring an ISA-certified arborist for tree removal and herbicide treatment to prevent regrowth. Find a certified arborist on the International Society of Arboriculture website.
Thank you to the Town of Blacksburg for partnering with us for this tree exchange event.
Blacksburg Tree Exchange Event
A one-day tree exchange event will be held in Blacksburg on Saturday, November 2, to incentivize the removal of up to three Callery pear trees from your property to receive an equal number of native, young, healthy – and free – replacement trees. You must be a Virginia resident removing Callery pear trees from your own privately-owned land. The landowner is responsible for all costs incurred in tree removal.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Blacksburg Community Center, 725 Patrick Henry Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060
Preregistration is required as there is a limited supply of trees available.
After you register:
Properly remove your Callery pear tree(s).
Take a photo of the removed tree. Ensure the tree is identifiable as a Callery pear (e.g., in flower or close-up shot of buds, leaves or fruit).
Bring your photo of the removed Callery pear tree (on your cell phone is fine) to pick up your replacement tree on pickup day.
Pickup will occur on one day only, at one location. Trees not picked up during the pickup window will not be available at another time.
Please note: For those who have preregistered, a variety of native tree species will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
