Medina County Soil & Water Conservation District and Medina County Park District are teaming up to improve watershed health and benefit native wildlife by encouraging homeowners to remove invasive species from their property.
Though we’re highlighting the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), any tree or shrub species on the
Ohio Department of Agriculture list will be accepted.
If you have one of these species on your property, this summer you’ll have a chance to get a free native plant in exchange for cutting down/removing the targeted invasive species out of your yard.
Medina County residents and businesses can participate in the program as long as they remove a designated invasive plant from their property.
Please note that we have limited number of trees for businesses; please call Kellie at 330-722-9321 to confirm there are still trees left for your business to participate.
Click here to sign up for email updates for the program.
Invasive plants are non-native, aggressive plants that can take over entire habitats. To wildlife not all plants are created equal, and unfortunately many non-native plants now found in this area cannot support our native wildlife. Native plants have been found in this region for thousands of years, and as such many wildlife species depend on these “familiar” food sources.
Evolving together over thousands of years, many of our insects, including our pollinators, can only digest a handful of plants native to their range which are called host plants. While some adult insects will visit invasive species’ flowers, Ohio’s native plants will uphold multiple food webs by providing food to multiple life stages of our local wildlife.
Removing an invasive plant and replacing it with a native alternative will feed wildlife, make your yard beautiful, and support healthier waterways.
How to submit:
Sit tight! Early spring is a great time to find accepted invasive species on your property and flag them for removal this summer. Details on when to remove your invasive and proper submission for the trade in will be available May 19th.
Submission photos are required to include, our buy-back sign, which will be available on May 19th.
1 Invasive trade in per household:
One invasive tree or shrub removed in exchange for one native tree or shrub to plant. Due to limited availability, we only allow one trade in per household. If there are any extra native plants left by pick-up, participants who cut down multiple invasive plants may be offered additional replacement species. (Up to 3 max)
Click here to sign up for email updates for the program.
This is a first come first served program:
We accept trade-ins in the order they are received, while supplies last.
Accepted species: Though we’re highlighting the Callery Pear, any tree or shrub species on the ODA list will be accepted.
The list of Native Plants to select from will be available May 19th.
More details and information on how to register for the events will be added May 19th.
If you would like to be notified when registration for these programs are open, sign up for email notifications here.
As invasive plants start to emerge in early spring, be sure to tag them for removal in the summer!
Informational Presentations:
Learn different techniques on how to properly remove invasive species from your property, what to expect when removing them, and suggestions for native trees and shrubs to replace them
with. We will start with an indoor presentation, and then follow it with an outdoor removal demonstration, so please dress for being outside. This program is for those interested in participating in the Medina County Invasive Species Buy-back Program, but all are welcome.
Registration will open May 1st.
June 7th, Oenslager Nature Center, 10am-12pm (Registration Required)
June 17th, Letha House, 5:30pm-7:30pm (Registration Required)
July 22nd, Brunswick Library, 5:30pm-6:30pm (Registration Required, no outdoor demonstration)
Volunteer Opportunities
Join your local community members for an afternoon of removing invasive species from your local habitat.
June 13th, 12pm-2pm, Location coming soon
Pick-Up Date
Native Plant Festival, Oenslager Nature Center, September 7th
If you would like to be notified when registration for these programs are open, sign up for email notifications here.
Handouts:
136 Invasive species removed
50+ Callery Pear trees
225 Native trees planted in local watersheds
On January 7th, 2023 it became officially illegal to sell, plant, and cultivate Callery pear trees and their many cultivars in the state of Ohio. But what is the Callery pear, and why is this achievement being celebrated? The Callery pear, also known as Bradford pear, Cleveland pear, and several other names, is a flowering tree native to Asia. These trees were thought to be sterile; and this trait paired with their spring flowers led to them being marketed as the “perfect” landscaping tree. However, due to cross pollination, these trees soon became highly invasive, escaping from their planted locations into fields and other natural areas. Monocultures of Callery pear in natural spaces create food deserts for wildlife, especially insects, by choking out our native trees and shrubs and degrading habitat quality. The time has come to ditch the Callery pear and choose to plant native. Join us in the Medina County Invasive Species Buy-Back Program to help improve wildlife habitat in Medina County!
**PLEASE NOTE**
Residents should NOT remove trees or shrubs from the “tree lawn” which is the space between the public sidewalk and the street/curb. Tree lawns are managed by the municipality and should not be altered.
Medina SWCD and Medina County Park District is not responsible for any injuries obtained from invasive species removal for this program.
