A healthy elm tree near Senator Buchanan Elementary School in Lethbridge. Photo taken summer 2020. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Elm tree pruning ban in effect Apr. 1, aims to prevent Dutch Elm Disease

Mar 31, 2021 | 11:44 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – If you have elm trees on your property in Lethbridge, do not prune them.

The City of Lethbridge’s elm tree pruning ban comes into effect on Thursday, April 1, and runs until September 30.

Parks Manager Dave Ellis says the prohibition is particularly paramount this year as the city had the first-ever case of Dutch Elm Disease (DED) in Alberta last year.

READ MORE: City of Lethbridge confirms cases of Dutch Elm Disease

“The reason the pruning ban is so important is, the elm bark beetles, which carry the fungus from tree-to-tree, are attracted to freshly-pruned wood. If you prune a tree in the summer season, you make that tree very much more susceptible to getting the disease.”

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The most common sign of DED is seeing one or two branches quickly turning yellow.

Once a tree has contracted the disease, it will typically die within the next couple of seasons.

The two impacted trees last year were on boulevards. While Ellis says no private properties were affected, homeowners need to remain vigilant to ensure it stays that way.

There are approximately 12,000 elm trees in Lethbridge.

Some tips for the public to keep in mind include:

• Determine if you have any elm trees on your property
• If you observe any signs of DED, report it to the city by calling 311
• Do not keep elm wood for personal use. It is illegal to do so
• Properly dispose of elm wood by taking it to the designated disposal site at Lethbridge’s landfill

More information on DED in Lethbridge can be found here.

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