WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The invasive Callery (Bradford) pear trees are now in full bloom, but a buyback on the trees won't happen this spring. The Kansas Forest Service says the program will happen in spring 2026 due to a shift in partners, and a small buyback will occur in the fall in Manhatta n. The Callery pear trees are notoriously stinky, weak-wooded, and prone to storm damage. They are also invasive because they have found a way to cross-pollinate. "Those trees have been able to cross-pollinate to create fertile seed, which in turn is consumed by wildlife birds, in particular, and then redeposited throughout our pastures, woodlands, and other native green spaces," Shad Hufnagel, Forest Health Coordinator for the Kansas Forest Service, said. What Wichita is doing to stay out of Stage 3 of drought plan Hufnagel says the trees begin to grow in areas where they had not been intended. "They grow so aggressively that they will push out native vegetation and disrupt natural ecosystems," he added. The Forest Service says any trees documented and removed in 2025 will be eligible for the 2026 buyback. They ask that you provide photos of your pear tree standing and removed (stump picture) or provide a bill from an arborist that notes a Callery pear tree was removed. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. ...read more read less