New case of Dutch elm disease confirmed in north-central neighbourhood

Elm tree canopies can be seen in Edmonton in May 2024, just months before four cases of Dutch elm disease were confirmed in the city. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton)

A second case of Dutch elm disease has been found in Edmonton this year.

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The disease was confirmed with a second round of testing on an elm tree in the Glengarry neighbourhood, which was found in “declining health” and removed in October.

It initially tested negative for Dutch elm disease.

In total, seven trees have tested positive for the disease since it was first detected in Edmonton in August 2024.

When a diseased tree is identified, the city removes all elm trees within 20 metres to reduce the habitat of the beetles that spread the fungus and conducts extra monitoring for a one-kilometre radius.

This zone, previously established in the Killarney neighbourhood, will be extended to include Glengarry and its neighbouring communities.

“City arborists, urban foresters and the pest management team remain vigilant. Our operational teams are highly integrated and we’re continuing to implement our management plan to mitigate the spread of the deadly fungal disease. We have been working closely with partners at the province and Canadian Food Inspection Agency for best practices and reporting,” said Mark Beare, the city’s director of parks and urban forestry, in a news release.

The city says it has conducted more than 185,500 visual surveys and submitted 57 samples for testing this year.

Almost 22 per cent of the trees in the city’s boulevard and open spaces are elm trees, numbering around 90,000.