Tag: DED prevention

Saskatoon’s Canopy: The Heart of the City is Rooted in You

This is a story of growth, right in your own backyard. Tonight, the focus is on Saskatoon—not just the City of Bridges, but a city that is fighting to stay green. It’s a mission for the planet, and it’s happening at the curb outside your front door.”

“Now, let’s take a look at what’s happening in your neck of the woods! The City has released its Greener Together newsletter, and folks, you’re going to want to check those mailboxes. Whether it’s in your bill insert or that ‘Protect Your Urban Forest’ pamphlet, there is a lot of great stuff going on across the country—and by that, I mean right there on your boulevard and naturalized park spaces!” A brief summary is herewith attached.

“But there is a serious note tonight. A threat is looming. Dutch Elm Disease is hitting record highs, and we have to act now. From the pruning ban starting April 1st to the way you handle firewood, the stakes for our canopy have never been higher. Let’s get to the facts and see how you can help this forest thrive.”

Feature Article: Guardians of the Canopy

In Saskatoon, the trees are more than just a backdrop—they are a hardworking infrastructure. According to the City’s latest guide, “Protect Your Urban Forest,” these leafy giants do everything from cleaning our air and cooling our pavement to managing stormwater. But as the city grows, so does the responsibility of the residents who live under their shade.

The Golden Rules of Tree Care The City manages its trees, but it’s the “extra mile” from residents that helps them truly thrive. A little water during a prairie dry spell or keeping the base of a boulevard tree tidy can ensure these assets flourish for generations. However, there are strict “don’ts” to keep in mind: you may not prune, apply pesticides, or attach items to City trees without official approval.

Planning a Project? Check the Radius If you are planning to renovate or landscape, keep your measuring tape handy. Any construction within six meters of a City tree requires a Tree Permit. The good news? These permits are completely free and are usually processed within four business days. It’s a small step that ensures construction equipment doesn’t accidentally damage the root systems of our shared forest.

A Free Legacy Looking to add some shade to your street? The City is currently offering free boulevard trees to both homeowners and businesses. By requesting a tree, you aren’t just beautifying your property; you’re investing in the city’s long-term health.

The Fight Against Dutch Elm Disease (DED) The most urgent dispatch from the City involves our majestic Elms. DED cases are at an all-time high, and prevention is the only cure. Residents are urged to follow these critical steps:

  • The Pruning Ban: Never prune elm trees between April 1 and August 31.
  • Wood Disposal: Never store elm wood or branches. All elm wood must be taken to the landfill immediately.
  • Report It: If you see a tree that looks diseased or dead, request a professional inspection via the City’s website.

To stay updated on all sustainability efforts, residents can subscribe to the Greener Together newsletter here. Together, we can ensure the “City of Green” lives up to its name.

Robert White: The remarkable legacy of Richard St. Barbe Baker and the 326 acre forest named in his honour to commemorate his extraordinary achievements.
Elm Leaves
Autumn picture of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas supported by the non profit group Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. Please join now, like, support, share.
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area Forest
Spring Sunset Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A

Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A

S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A

NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063

Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or

Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot

Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com

Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map

Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)?with map

Pinterest richardstbarbeb

Blogger: FriendsAfforestation

Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.comFacebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation Area

Facebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas

Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Facebook: South West OLRA

Reddit: FriendsAfforestation

BlueSky Social

Mix: friendsareas

YouTube

Support via Zeffy

Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )

Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!  

Support using Canada Helps

Support via a recycling bottle donation and Join the plastic-recycle challenge!

United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

““Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause. Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward. Bend to the winds of heaven..”

Guardians of the Elms: Saskatoon’s Ecological Emergency

The elm, with its sweeping arch of green, has long been the cathedral tree of our northern cities. Its vaulted canopy shades our streets, cools our homes, and whispers to us of continuity with nature. In Saskatoon, nearly a quarter of the urban forest is elm—a treasure beyond measure. In the afforestation areas, too, Siberian Elms, and American Elms are a great portion of the canopy. Yet today, we face a dire crisis. The City has declared an ecological emergency as Dutch elm disease spreads with alarming speed. How to Identify an Elm. How to Spot Dutch Elm Disease Symptoms.

This is no ordinary ailment. Dutch elm disease (DED) is a ruthless invader, a fungus—Ophiostoma ulmi and its more virulent cousin Ophiostoma novo-ulmi—that enters the tree’s veins and clogs them, cutting off life itself. The carriers are small, inconspicuous elm bark beetles. On their wings, they bear spores like unwelcome cargo. Seeking places to lay their eggs, they search for damaged elm—pruned in the wrong season, broken by storm, or cut for careless firewood. From there, death marches through the canopy.

Richard St. Barbe Baker, silviculturist (forest doctor) has seen many forests suffer, but few plagues advance as swiftly as this. A tree that stood proudly in May may be yellowed and withered by August, its crown shriveling, its roots starving. So entire boulevards may fall silent, their green vaults gone, sunlight harsh and unbroken upon the pavement.

American Elm Ulmus Americana autumn leaf
American Elm Ulmus Americana autumn leaf
Elm Leaves
Elm Leaves
Elm trees in the Snow showers on Saturday Nov 15 at Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Winter Elm Tree

The Call to Action

The City has confirmed a record twelve cases this summer—more than ever before. Seven more trees show unmistakable signs and will be removed. Already, over 8,700 kilograms of elm wood have been gathered and destroyed, yet more remains.

Thai Hoang, Director of Parks, sounded the alarm plainly: “Do not store elm wood on your property. Do not burn it in your fire pit. About a quarter of our forest canopy is elm. This is not a minor issue—it is an ecological emergency.”

Indeed, the beetle thrives in neglected woodpiles. Every log, every stored branch, is a breeding ground. To keep elm wood is to endanger the very heart of our city.

Best Practices for Guardianship

We who love trees must become their guardians. There are simple yet essential practices:

  • Never transport or store elm wood. Dispose of it only at the City landfill, where handling is safe and free.
  • Obey the provincial pruning ban between April 1 and August 31. Fresh cuts draw the beetles like moths to a flame.
  • Water wisely. From April until mid-August, water deeply. Then let the trees harden for winter, with one or two final soakings before freeze-up.
  • Prune in very early spring. At that time, wounds heal quickly, and beetles are less active.
  • Maintain soil and roots. Fertilize thoughtfully, protect roots from damage during construction, and mulch well to prevent mower injury.

The elm is resilient if cared for. But neglect is its undoing.

The Mystery of the Survivor Elms

Yet even in this dark time, there is hope. Researchers tell us of survivor elms—trees that, though surrounded by the dying, endure. These are not unlike people who endured the scourge of COVID-19. Those with co-morbidities fared worse, while the strong sometimes resisted. So it is with elms. Healthy, vigorous trees may overcome where weakened ones fail.

In Minnesota and elsewhere, researchers funded by the MITPPC are studying these survivor trees, seeking to propagate their resilience. Early-flushing clones, resistant hybrids, and cultivars like Valley Forge, Prairie Expedition, and Jefferson may offer us a new generation of elms. Some of these hybrids draw strength from Asian species, which co-evolved with the fungus and are far less susceptible.

This is the field of hope: not only to protect the present, but to plant a future forest of resistance.

A Plea for Stewardship

Let us remember: the elm is more than wood and leaves. It is a shelter for birds, a fortress against wind, a cooling balm in summer, a companion in our daily walk. To lose it is to lose part of ourselves.

As Richard St. Barbe Baker often said, “if a man loses one-third of his skin he dies; if a tree loses one third of its bark, it too dies. If the Earth is a ‘sentient being’, would it not be reasonable to expect that if it loses one third of its trees and vegetable covering, it will also die?” The elm has stood beside us for generations; now we must stand for it.

The emergency in Saskatoon is real, but it need not be the end. With vigilance, with science, with love, and with law, we can yet preserve these cathedral trees. And in time, with resistant cultivars and survivor elms, we may restore what is lost.

But only if we act—together, now.

“The minimum for safety is one third of the total land area. I think what is happening to the elms must be alerting the whole country to the necessity of trees, of the need for more trees. The elm has the largest leaf surface of any tree in Britain. If you …. put the leaves together edge to edge, they would cover ten acres. So naturally, the first tree to suffer from air pollution was the elm and, of course, when an elm is suffering from fatigue it is subject to attack by disease: the elm bark beetle, the carrier of the elm fungus, comes along and the tree succumbs.

I look at it this way. If a person is living a normal life and not abusing themselves – not smoking too much, not eating too much, not drinking too much – but living normally and eating the right food – they will be fit and well. It is only when they start abusing themselves that they are prone to attack by disease. It is the same with trees.

The next tree to go (the next tree with the largest leaf surface after the elm) is probably the beech: after that the sycamore: and so on. Finally it will be Man’s turn. We forget that we owe our existence to the presence of trees and as far as forest cover goes, we have never been in such a vulnerable position as we are today. The only answer is to plant more trees – to plant for our lives.
Richard St. Barbe Baker answers the first question above” Richard St. Barbe Baker.

Bibliography

Addresses:

Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A

Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A

S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A

NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063

Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or

Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot

Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com

Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map

Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)?with map

Pinterest richardstbarbeb

Blogger: FriendsAfforestation

Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.comFacebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation Area

Facebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas

Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Facebook: South West OLRA

Reddit: FriendsAfforestation

BlueSky Social

Mix: friendsareas

YouTube

Support via Zeffy

Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )

Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!  

Support using Canada Helps

Support via a recycling bottle donation and Join the plastic-recycle challenge!

United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

““Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause. Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward. Bend to the winds of heaven..”

Richard St. Barbe Baker

How to Spot Dutch Elm Disease Symptoms

To defend our elm friends, we must keep watch. Dutch elm disease (DED) often announces itself quietly, but if we are observant, we can see the early warnings and act before the beetle’s work spreads further. How to Identify an Elm. Guardians of the Elm. Saskatoon’s Ecological Emergency!

1. The First Signs

In summer—long before the normal autumnal turning—watch the upper branches of the tree. There you may see leaves that begin to wilt, curl, and yellow. Soon they shrivel to brown, as though autumn has crept in months too early.

Dutch Elm Disease; high in the upper branches, one section appears strikingly different: the leaves there are drooping, curled, and turning yellow to brown, as if autumn has arrived months too early. This isolated patch of withered foliage, known as “flagging,” is the classic early symptom of Dutch elm disease. The contrast between the healthy, vibrant green canopy and the out-of-season, browned cluster makes the warning sign clear.
Dutch Elm Disease; high in the upper branches, one section appears strikingly different: the leaves there are drooping, curled, and turning yellow to brown, as if autumn has arrived months too early. This isolated patch of withered foliage, known as “flagging,” is the classic early symptom of Dutch elm disease. The contrast between the healthy, vibrant green canopy and the out-of-season, browned cluster makes the warning sign clear.

2. The March of Decline

The withering does not remain in one branch. It spreads outward and downward in a relentless progression. Whole limbs may die back, leaving stark silhouettes where once was shade.

An elm tree once full of life now shows uneven patches of green and brown across its canopy. Several large limbs stretch outward but are bare, their skeletal branches stark against the sky. In other areas, clusters of leaves hang limp, yellowed, and curling, the infection visibly spreading from one branch to the next. The overall crown looks thinned and uneven, sunlight pouring through gaps where dense shade once prevailed. The tree’s decline is clear: healthy growth retreating while dead and dying limbs stand in mournful contrast.
Dutch Elm Disease; high in the upper branches, one section appears strikingly different: the leaves there are drooping, curled, and turning yellow to brown, as if autumn has arrived months too early. This isolated patch of withered foliage, known as “flagging,” is the classic early symptom of Dutch elm disease. The contrast between the healthy, vibrant green canopy and the out-of-season, browned cluster makes the warning sign clear.

3. Beneath the Bark

If you strip back a section of infected twig or branch i.e. in a dead tree, a dark brown streaking often appears in the sapwood, a sure sign of the fungus clogging the tree’s lifeblood. This discoloration is the scar of invasion. That being said, Do not cut elm wood yourself.

Dutch Elm Disease. A peeled section of elm bark reveals winding borer tunnels etched beneath the surface. Dark brown streaks stain the sapwood, the fungus spreading through the tree’s vessels. Tiny entrance holes dot the bark where beetles burrowed in to feed or breed, carrying the deadly spores that mark the elm’s decline.
Dutch Elm Disease. A peeled section of elm bark reveals winding borer tunnels etched beneath the surface. Dark brown streaks stain the sapwood, the fungus spreading through the tree’s vessels. Tiny entrance holes dot the bark where beetles burrowed in to feed or breed, carrying the deadly spores that mark the elm’s decline.
Image Description (Dutch_elm_disease): Close-up of an elm branch with bark removed, exposing the pale sapwood streaked with dark brown lines. These streaks, running lengthwise through the wood, are clear signs of Dutch elm disease fungus invading and clogging the tree’s vessels, leaving scars that mark the path of infection. Courtesy of Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY 4.0
Elm exposing the pale sapwood streaked with dark brown lines. These streaks, running lengthwise through the wood, are clear signs of Dutch elm disease fungus invading and clogging the tree’s vessels, leaving scars that mark the path of infection. Courtesy of Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY 4.0

4. The Final Stage

As the disease advances, the tree loses more branches, its crown thinning to emptiness. The roots starve, and though suckers may rise from the base, they too will wither in time. Without intervention, the tree will succumb—often within a single growing season.

Image Description (The Final Stage): An elm tree stands bare and skeletal, its once full crown now reduced to sparse, lifeless branches. The canopy is thinned to emptiness, while small suckers rise weakly from the base, already beginning to wither. This stark silhouette marks the final stage of Dutch elm disease, as the tree succumbs within a single season. Signs of Dutch Elm Disease by Jonathan Thacker, CC BY 2.0
The Final Stage:
An elm tree stands bare and skeletal, its once full crown now reduced to sparse, lifeless branches. The canopy is thinned to emptiness, while small suckers rise weakly from the base, already beginning to wither. This stark silhouette marks the final stage of Dutch elm disease, as the tree succumbs within a single season. Signs of Dutch Elm Disease by Jonathan Thacker, CC BY 2.0

Why Vigilance Matters

DED is carried not only by beetles but also through root grafts—when the roots of two elms touch underground. Thus, one neglected tree can become the gateway to the death of many.

What To Do If You Suspect DED

  • Do not delay. Report any suspicious elm to the City of Saskatoon’s Urban Forestry branch at 306-975-2890 or upload a photo to their online form.
  • Make the call! City of Saskatoon Forestry know how to look for evidence of bark beetles in the afforestation areas.
  • Do not cut or store elm wood yourself. Improper handling only fuels the spread.
  • Let trained crews remove and dispose of infected trees at the landfill, where the cycle can be broken.

“A tree, like a friend, may sicken. But if we act swiftly and with care, we may yet preserve the living company of elms for our children.”

“The minimum for safety is one third of the total land area. I think what is happening to the elms must be alerting the whole country to the necessity of trees, of the need for more trees. The elm has the largest leaf surface of any tree in Britain. If you …. put the leaves together edge to edge, they would cover ten acres. So naturally, the first tree to suffer from air pollution was the elm and, of course, when an elm is suffering from fatigue it is subject to attack by disease: the elm bark beetle, the carrier of the elm fungus, comes along and the tree succumbs.

I look at it this way. If a person is living a normal life and not abusing themselves – not smoking too much, not eating too much, not drinking too much – but living normally and eating the right food – they will be fit and well. It is only when they start abusing themselves that they are prone to attack by disease. It is the same with trees.

The next tree to go (the next tree with the largest leaf surface after the elm) is probably the beech: after that the sycamore: and so on. Finally it will be Man’s turn. We forget that we owe our existence to the presence of trees and as far as forest cover goes, we have never been in such a vulnerable position as we are today. The only answer is to plant more trees – to plant for our lives.
Richard St. Barbe Baker answers the first question above” Richard St. Barbe Baker.

Addresses:

Part SE 23-36-6 – Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A

Part SE 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A

S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A

NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063

Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area or

Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot

Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com

Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map

Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)?with map

Pinterest richardstbarbeb

Blogger: FriendsAfforestation

Tumblr friendsafforestation.tumblr.comFacebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Facebook: StBarbeBaker Afforestation Area

Facebook for the non profit Charity Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. FriendsAreas

Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Facebook: South West OLRA

Reddit: FriendsAfforestation

BlueSky Social

Mix: friendsareas

YouTube

Support via Zeffy

Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail / e-transfers )

Donate your old vehicle, here’s how!  

Support using Canada Helps

Support via a recycling bottle donation and Join the plastic-recycle challenge!

United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

““Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause. Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward. Bend to the winds of heaven..”

Richard St. Barbe Baker

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