City Increases Efforts to Fight Elm Scale Infestation
LETHBRIDGE – City Council approved more funding and resources to ramp up its fight against European Elm Scale.
The disease comes from an insect that feeds on the trees, and produces a sticky secretion that covers the leaves and bark in black mold. It can eventually kill weakened trees and cause branch dieback in healthy trees.
There are roughly 5,500 elm trees on City property, some of which are too small to treat or haven’t been affected. A combination of warmer winters, hotter than usual summers and a lack of treatment product has lead to the infestation.
City Staff will now inject between 1,000 to 1,200 infected trees with the TreeAzin treatment. A private contractor will also be brought in to take on 2,400 more, bringing the total to 3,600.