The Callery Pear tree, known for its conspicuous white flowers and foul odor, may soon face regulation in Kansas.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture requested public input on a proposed measure to regulate the introduction and movement of Callery Pears in a press release Tuesday morning.
“It has been an ongoing issue for some time now,” says Scott March, noxious and invasive weed specialist for the KDA. “We just conducted a survey of eastern Kansas and found that more than 60 counties currently have Callery Pear trees that have escaped the areas in which they were planted.”
Comments will be used to guide the KDA’s next steps in controlling the trees population.
Native to China, the Callery Pear tree can cause serious ecological disruption when introduced to non-native landscapes.
“They develop what we call a monoculture or growing that only one species in an area and shade and crowd out other native or desirable species.”
This leads to reduced biodiversity in an ecosystem.
Native alternatives to the Callery Pear can provide the same attractive foliage without damaging the ecology of its environment.
Source: wibw.com
Photo Credit: Pixabay-hansbenn
Categories: Kansas, Government & Policy