The City of Saskatoon has confirmed nearly two dozen Dutch elm trees have tested positive for Dutch elm disease (DED.) Six of the confirmed cases are on the 200 block of Carleton Drive in the cities College Park neighbourhood. The trees represent one of the largest groupings of DED-related elm removals in Saskatoon to date. All of the infected trees - including three on the 800 block of Avenue C North in the Caswell Hill neighbourhood - will be removed, in an attempt to help slow the spread of the disease in the city. The College Park and Caswell Hill cases are among 22 confirmed DED cases in Saskatoon this year. “Seeing six mature elm trees removed from a single block, and three on another, is a reminder of the very real impact Dutch elm disease is having on our neighbourhoods and urban canopy,” says Thai Hoang, director of parks for the City of Saskatoon. “While tree removal is never something we take lightly, removing infected trees remains one of the most important actions we can take to help reduce the spread of the disease and protect healthy elms across Saskatoon.” The City says it will continue surveilling and testing trees in surrounding areas, and will inspect nearby properties for stored elm wood, which can contribute to the spread of the disease. It’s illegal to transport, store, sell or use elm wood in the city. All elm wood can be disposed of for free at the City Landfill. The provincial elm pruning ban is in effect annually from Apr. 1 to Aug. 31. More information on DED can be found here.
