Every year, the City of Weyburn works to deal with Dutch elm disease. The work starts in June and continues throughout the summer.
“We’re looking for symptomatic elm trees, and we will actually take a sample and send it off to see if the fungus is present,” explained Parks Manager Curtis Block. “If it is a positive result, the only action we have is complete removal of the tree and disposal of the tree at the landfill.”
Block noted that there isn’t a cure for Dutch elm disease, so controlling the spread is the only option.
“Up til now, since 2017, we’ve removed approximately about 115 elm trees within the city, so it is a concern,” Block added. The removal of the trees does have an impact on the city’s urban forest, something they are trying to mitigate.
“We’re looking at planting new trees to replace the ones that have been infected with Dutch elm disease,” the parks manager said. “We’re just preaching diversity in the urban forestry with other species of trees and try to control the Dutch elm disease so that it doesn’t wipe it out so quickly.”
Every year, a province-wide ban on the pruning of elm trees takes effect on April 1st and lasts until August 31st. The ban is to help prevent the spread of the disease as the elm bark beetle, which carries the disease, is drawn to fresh cuts in the trees. As well, it is illegal to store, transport, or possess elm wood even if it is to be used as firewood.
Block stated that those who handled their pruning before the ban took effect can dispose of the wood as quickly as possible by taking it to the City of Weyburn landfill.