Tree of heaven in public easement - Ask Extension
Hi, we recently moved into a property in Lewes DE that backs to a public easement. There is a stand of Tree of Heaven trees there. Are there any free ...
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Tree of heaven in public easement #928865
Asked April 19, 2026, 12:22 PM EDT
Hi, we recently moved into a property in Lewes DE that backs to a public easement. There is a stand of Tree of Heaven trees there. Are there any free services that would treat/ remove these trees ie as part of lantern fly control?
Sussex County Delaware
Expert Response
Who is the owner of the property? I would contact them first. They may not be aware they are invasive “Trees of Heaven.”
You might consider writing a letter to the owner, or township, with CC’s to State of Delaware Department of Agriculture and DNREC. Possibly a letter to the Cape Gazette, where more eyes can be notified of their existence.
I am not aware of any grants or services that take invasive trees down - as evidence of the thousands of Bradford and Callery Pears that now flank Route 1. They have gotten so out of hand, authorities may have given up. But TOH as you mention is a host for the Spotted Lantern Fly, which unfortunately has also escaped into the environment to such a degree that it is now very difficult to control. The removal of the trees are ultimately the responsibility of the landowner or land management organization. There may indeed be organizations that donate their services to the removal of invasive.
Your inquiry gives me hope that the awareness of invasive species is spreading and it is citizen scientists like you who can make a difference in sharing the knowledge of invasive species and reporting them. If the landowner is a public entity (state or city) they may have the budget to remove the problem.
You might consider writing a letter to the owner, or township, with CC’s to State of Delaware Department of Agriculture and DNREC. Possibly a letter to the Cape Gazette, where more eyes can be notified of their existence.
I am not aware of any grants or services that take invasive trees down - as evidence of the thousands of Bradford and Callery Pears that now flank Route 1. They have gotten so out of hand, authorities may have given up. But TOH as you mention is a host for the Spotted Lantern Fly, which unfortunately has also escaped into the environment to such a degree that it is now very difficult to control. The removal of the trees are ultimately the responsibility of the landowner or land management organization. There may indeed be organizations that donate their services to the removal of invasive.
Your inquiry gives me hope that the awareness of invasive species is spreading and it is citizen scientists like you who can make a difference in sharing the knowledge of invasive species and reporting them. If the landowner is a public entity (state or city) they may have the budget to remove the problem.
