For the second time in one year, a tree in the 200 block of Lincoln Dr. has been cut down due to Dutch elm disease.
This is the first case of Dutch elm in the City of Regina this year.
Homeowner Diane Yum said it’s unfortunate to see the tree go.
“It’s been here probably since the house was built back in the late seventies, so it is kind of a sad thing to see something that they planted right from the beginning gone,” she said.
The City says a diseased tree on the same property last year played a part in this tree becoming infected through root grafting. Other trees in the area could also be at risk, so the City will be monitoring the area closely.
“One of the things that we do is an injection program, so for trees that are nearby, we try to inject it. It isn’t always 100 per cent effective, but it does slow down the disease and many times, we can stop it at the single tree stage,” said Russell Eirich, Program Manager of Pest and Horticultural Services.
There were five cases of Dutch elm disease in Regina last year, but since the disease was first discovered in Regina in 1981, there have only been 110 cases, which is something that the city is very proud of.
“A good Dutch Elm Disease program, typically loses one per cent of elms per year, so if you think of Regina’s 45-to-50,000 elms – both public and private elms – out there, for us to lose five trees out of that number, we’re well below the one per cent and we’re one tenth of one per cent, so we’re really pleased with that result,” said Eirich.
Signs of an infected elm include wilting and yellowing of the tree’s leaves, which won’t fall off. Homeowners are asked to contact the City if they suspect a tree has Dutch elm disease.
