Crews working to remove diseased trees around campus
Work will help prevent spread of Dutch elm disease
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 month of December. 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?
The diseased elms are spread throughout the Southwood lands, the Point Lands or in Smart Park. If left untreated, Dutch elm disease would jeopardize the entire UM canopy.
The removal work will take place during December.
If you have any questions about the tree removals, please reach out to Operations and Maintenance at PPWOD@umanitoba.ca or by phone at 204-474-6281.