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I love trees. But walking through my neighborhood earlier this month, I was reminded of my single-minded hatred for Bradford pears—that horribly malodorous, white-flowering tree that just finished blooming across Indiana. (You know the ones. And you definitely know the smell.)
They—and many other blemishes on Indiana’s natural environment—need to go.
Popularized in American suburbs for their tidy shape and supposed inability to reproduce, Bradford pears are now widely considered invasive. Though well-intentioned at the time, they crowd out native plants, have weak branch structures prone to splitting in storms, and fill neighborhoods and parking lots with their pungent odor every March and April. Their invasiveness is so serious that Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina have banned their sale.
So in the spirit of the government efficiency craze sweeping the nation, it’s time to apply some spring cleaning to our natural environment by eliminating Bradford pears—and a bunch of other aspects of Indiana’s natural landscape status quo.
I’m only being somewhat tongue-in-cheek. While the federal cuts have been politically charged, every household and community could take a real evaluation of what’s in its natural landscape. After all, our environment isn’t a side issue—it’s something we all live with, walk through, mow or drive past every single day. It’s, in fact, fundamental to our bodily and mental health.
And there is perhaps no better time to improve Indiana’s environment than now—under Gov. Mike Braun, a DOGE enthusiast, lifelong conservationist and entrepreneur who entertains
bold ideas.
So, in that spirit, here are four ways to apply bold, spring-cleaning thinking to the Hoosier landscape.
1. Chop down Bradford pears (and other invasives).
Bradford pears, like bush honeysuckle, tree-of-heaven and other invasive plants, degrade Indiana’s natural spaces. So, chop them down.
South Carolina launched a “Bradford Bounty” program, giving a native tree for every Bradford cut down. Indiana should do the same. Indigenous oaks, sugar maples and redbuds support pollinators, survive storms and actually improve the places we live.
And do you know about pawpaws, the native, shade-tolerant trees that produce an amazing, creamy, mango-banana-like fruit? Here’s to more of them, and fewer Bradford pears.
2. Fire your lawn.
Turf grass covers more land in the United States than any food crop—and
for what? It’s chemically dependent, provides
almost no ecological return and requires annoying, regular care.
Let’s do less mowing and more voluntary conversions to native grasses, edible gardens or pollinator beds—all beautiful, natural and low-maintenance. Google AI-lawn-design apps to help you visualize.
3. Plant tightly, grow fast (and save resources).
The Miyawaki method—developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki—uses extremely dense clusters of native species to create fast-growing, low-upkeep mini-forests.
By setting these up in your yard—or at churches, schools or even business parks—we’ll cool the air, soak up stormwater and support biodiversity. After three years, the mini-forests require no irrigation or mowing. It’s high-efficiency planting with long-term rewards.
With so much open and underused space across Indiana, this is a practical way to bring the landscape to life, and quickly.
4. Deploy AI landscape tech.
Indiana can use tech to plant smarter, not harder.
Purdue researchers use AI and drone-mounted LIDAR to create 3D forest maps and model canopy growth over time. Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute uses satellite imagery and geospatial data to pinpoint where tree planting can cool neighborhoods and reduce flooding.
We should lean into
what next-gen tech can enable in imagining and developing better green spaces, at the individual and community level.
The next time you smell the stench of Bradford pears, don’t (just) be disgusted—remember the need for a spring cleaning. There are so many ways to uproot the old, usher in the new and improve Indiana’s natural environment.•
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Gemelas is chief operating officer at Climate Solutions Fund, outstanding fellow of Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation and a proud Greek-American. Send comments to [email protected].
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