Swap invasive trees for free Virginia native trees at upcoming event

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia landowners who are willing to remove a certain invasive tree from their properties can get a new, native tree for free through an upcoming tree exchange event.

The Callery pear tree is an invasive tree species that is threatening ecosystems not only in Virginia, but throughout the eastern and midwestern United States.

On Saturday, Nov. 8, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) will host a one-day tree exchange event to incentivize landowners to remove Callery pear trees.

Through this exchange event, Virginians who remove up to three Callery pear trees from their own privately-owned land can get up to three replacement trees for free from the Virginia DOF.

A callery pear tree is pictured on Monday, April 23, 2018. (Photo by Natalie Kolb/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

The replacement trees will be handed out in 2-gallon pots on Saturday at the Hickory Hill Community Center, located at 3000 Belt Blvd. in Richmond. There will be a variety of native Virginia species available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To qualify for this exchange event, you must first preregister here prior to Friday, Oct. 31, as only a limited number of replacement trees are available.

You must then properly remove the tree at your own cost. The Virginia DOF highly recommends that you hire an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist to do so and that you apply herbicide to prevent regrowth.

Finally, bring a photo of the removed tree to the exchange site on Nov. 8. You must ensure that the tree in the photo is identifiable as a Callery pear tree. According to the Virginia DOF, this can be done by taking a close-up shot of its buds, flowers, leaves or fruits.

For more information, visit the Virginia DOF's website.