Let it be known that a time of reckoning has come for the public menace known as Bradford pear. A bounty has been placed on the invasive tree, and it will no longer be tolerated--at least in Fayetteville's city limits.
You might recognize this suspect from the smell alone. Apparently it's such a bad funk that not even Fayetteville wants it. The tree may be using an alias, something fancy like pyrus calleryana. But don't fall for it.
The crime? Aggravated assault (on allergies). People from Conway to Gravette have been attacked by this tree's pollen. But enough is enough. The only people who have benefited from the presence of Bradford pears are the makers of Kleenex and Benadryl.
Fayetteville announced that if people will go out to their yards and cut down the Bradford pear (or hire someone to do it), the city will provide them will a less annoying (and invasive) tree.
From the city's urban forester John Scott: "Of course we love trees. It's not a common thing for me, as an urban forester, to encourage people to remove trees. But these are problem species out-competing our native species."
The problem with Bradfords is they quickly take over an area and don't create a beneficial habitat for wildlife or vegetation, said Jennifer Ogle with the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association. They also don't grow edible fruit. They can't take the weight of ice. And this time of year they stink to high heaven and clog up noses for miles around.
The city will replace the trees with, well, pretty much whatever you like. There's about 100 different kinds of trees available that won't cause Bradford pear problems.
If all this works as planned, Mr. Scott said other invasive species could be next:
"We're coming for you," he announced to the papers.
Maybe he should put together a posse.
Editorial on 03/26/2019