Dutch Elm disease confirmed in Edmonton

The dreaded, tree-killing Dutch Elm disease has made its way to Edmonton. It was found in the north Edmonton neighbourhood of Killarney, and it could impact Edmonton’s 90,000 Elm trees, or 22 per cent of the urban canopy according to the City.

Mark Beare with the City’s parks and roads department told city council Wednesday, that four confirmed cases of Dutch Elm disease have been found in Edmonton, with the first confirmed case found at the end of August.

Three of them are on city property, and one on private. City council heard the tree disease is caused by a fungus that can spread through roots or bark beetles. It’s highly contagious and is somewhat easy to spot.

A curling, yellowing of the leaves, which is called flagging. You might see some staining of the bark or some pinhole holes in the bark and some sawdust.

The City’s tree experts can’t say exactly how Dutch Elm disease came into Edmonton, but suspect it was from firewood brought in from outside the city.

Elm trees were a popular choice to plant along Edmonton’s streets and boulevards because they grow quickly and can survive the salt that comes off city roads in the winter.

For now, the mayor and Beare are asking Edmontonians to be vigilant and report and remove any trees showing signs of the disease, by burning or taking them to the Edmonton waste management centre for free.

“Together, I feel that we have a good handle and can control it,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.

Parks and roads officials say they are working to plant a variety of different trees on city property like oak and maple, under provincial legislation the City is able to compel property owners to dispose of infected trees.