Images of the Bradford pear tree (sometimes referred to as “Callery” pear) may appear in nursery catalogs cloaked in a solid sheath of white blossoms. Local nurseries sell them.   But buyer beware: Bradford pears may be a “wolf in sheep’s’ clothing.

This article will explain the history of a taxpayer-funded Urban Forest Management Plan process for Shorewood, and how it has evolved to current day.   The City seems to be facing the “perfect storm” for tree management on its properties:   Emerald Ash Borer, oak wilt, lingering Dutch elm, buckthorn and other woody invasives, several years of drought and a winter without enough snow to blanket tree roots exacerbate the situation.