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July 16, 2024
The City of Edmonton is warning residents and visitors of the potential impacts of Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borer to Edmonton’s urban forest. Residents and visitors planning on camping or leisure activities this summer should not bring firewood back to Edmonton from other communities. It is essential to prevent the spread of pests that could devastate nearly half of the City’s boulevard and open space trees.
“The main way that both Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borer spread is through the transportation of firewood from other areas with infestations,” said Mike Jenkins, Senior Scientist at the City of Edmonton. “Bringing firewood from other regions puts much of Edmonton’s urban forest at risk, including most tree-lined streets in mature neighbourhoods.”
Individuals who have already brought firewood to Edmonton are strongly encouraged to bring it to their local Eco Station for immediate disposal or burn it completely.
There has been no confirmed emerald ash borer in Alberta, but it has been confirmed in Vancouver and Winnipeg, and as close as South Dakota. Edmonton has one of the largest concentrations of uninfected American elms in the world. Dutch elm disease has been discovered throughout the St. Lawrence Valley in Quebec and in Winnipeg. In Alberta, two isolated cases of Dutch elm disease in Wainwright (1998) and Lethbridge (2020) were discovered and immediately eradicated. While a community may be considered disease-free, it is possible for emerald ash borer and the beetles that carry the Dutch elm disease to be present.
Emerald ash borer is difficult to detect in the early stages of its growth and infestation. The signs of emerald ash borer are very similar to signs of drought stress. One of the main signs that a tree could be infested is newly sprouted branches growing from the lower portion of the trunk of the tree. Residents can learn more at edmonton.ca/EmeraldAsh.
Trees affected by Dutch elm disease display signs like brown and wilted leaves that do not fall. They also may have drooping or yellow leaves in the summer, and individual branches with no leaves or smaller leaves than the rest of the tree. More information can be found at edmonton.ca/DutchElm.
Residents are advised to report all suspected symptoms of Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borer to 311 or through the online reporting service. The City is working to complete an external visual inventory of ash and elm trees located on private property and inform residents at these properties about steps they can take to identify and protect their ash and elm trees.
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