Working to Eradicate the Bradford Pear

Professor David Coyle specializes in Forest Health and Invasive species, and he has his hands full. Partnering with local Extension agents, he offers a bounty on invasive Bradford pears – more correctly called callery pears – if you bring a picture showing you cut down a tree, you’ll get a native tree to take home as a replacement. Although these trees are in areas not always accessible, by spreading the word about the harm and danger they pose to the environment, his efforts encourage people to remove any trees they can legally access. Coyle also heads Clemson’s involvement with the eradication of the invasive Asian-longed beetle, working with other state and federal agencies in a large low-country area to inspect every susceptible tree, especially the favored red maples, and using a prescribed method to destroy any infested trees – actions that will save hundreds of thousands of trees the beetles otherwise would kill.