Crews working to remove diseased trees from Fort Garry campus

Arborists will prevent further spread of Dutch elm disease

December 19, 2023 —

To protect the many, many healthy trees at Fort Garry campus, City of Winnipeg Urban Forestry crews will be working to remove trees with Dutch elm disease over the coming weeks and into the New Year. These necessary removals will help prevent the spread of the devastating fungi, which easily infects non-resistant trees, ultimately killing them.

What is Dutch elm disease?

Caused by a type of sac fungi, Dutch elm disease is an affliction affecting primarily elm trees. In order to block the spread of the fungus within its limbs, a diseased tree will plug its own xylem tissue with gum and bladder-like extensions of the xylem cell wall called tyloses.

Since the xylem is what delivers water and nutrients to the rest of the tree, these plugs prevent them from travelling throughout the plant, starving and killing it.

Where are the diseased trees on campus?

The diseased trees are spread throughout Fort Garry campus and into the Southwood area, which makes removal all the more important. If left untreated, Dutch elm disease would jeopardize the entire UM canopy.

Below are several maps showing the locations of diseased trees, highlighted with orange circles.