| | The Society to Prevent Dutch Elm Disease (STOPDED) is asking the public to help prevent Dutch elm disease (DED) by checking their elm trees for DED symptoms. A confirmed DED tree must be removed immediately to prevent further spread.
"All trees that are showing DED symptoms must be reported immediately," says Janet Feddes-Calpas, provincial DED program coordinator. "At this time of year, if a tree is infected with DED, the leaves will appear wilted and soon will curl up, turn yellow and then brown. This is also referred to as flagging. Leaves on trees infected later in the season usually turn yellow and drop prematurely. Leaf symptoms are accompanied by brown staining under the bark. All suspicious elms must be tested in a lab for the presence of the fungus. The STOPDED program covers all lab costs."
DED is caused by a fatal fungus that clogs the elm tree's water conducting system causing the tree to die, usually within one or two seasons. The fungus that affects all species of elm is primarily spread from one tree to another by two species of insect vectors, the smaller European elm bark beetle (SEEBB), and the native elm bark beetle (NEBB). The beetles are attracted to weak and dying trees. These weak trees serve as breeding sites for the beetles. Once the beetles have pupated and turned into adults, they leave the brood gallery and fly to healthy elms to feed, thus transporting the fungus on their bodies from one tree to the next.
For this reason, it is important that elm firewood not be transported into or within Alberta as the wood may be harboring the bark beetles that carry the deadly DED fungus. Firewood is confiscated at all the Alberta-Montana border crossings. Beetle monitoring is done annually throughout the province.
To report symptoms, call the toll-free provincial DED hotline by dialing 310-0000 and then dialing or asking for (403) 782-8613. You can also visit the STOPDED website.
Contact: Janet Feddes-Calpas (403) 782-8613 |
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