Regina confirms four cases of Dutch Elm Disease

REGINA – The City of Regina was out in full force Tuesday morning cutting down trees with Dutch Elm disease (DED).

There have been four confirmed cases of Dutch Elm disease – one tree is located in South Albert Park, one tree was located on Knowles Crescent, another in Whitmore Park, and the fourth in North Regina on Wheatley Bay.

DED is caused by a fungus that clogs the American elm tree’s water conducting system, which eventually causes it to die. Insects spread the fungus when they breed and lay eggs by flying to elm trees that are sick or dying.

Last year in Regina, five trees that were suffering from DED had to be removed.

In the past 32 years, the city has removed 85 DED trees.