Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment Dutch Elm Disease Management Program

Colin Arndt April 16, 2019 DED Facts

• Deadly wilt disease fungus. • Introduced into North America in 1920’s • Stops the flow of water within the elm tree. • Spread by elm bark beetles carrying the spores to healthy trees or by root grafting. • The American elm is very susceptible, and quickly killed by the disease. Siberian elms are usually tolerant to DED . • Symptoms of EBB infected trees usually first appear on a single branch with wilting & yellowing of foliage. • As symptoms progress, more of the tree becomes affected with branch dieback, wilting, yellowing & browning leaves.

INSECT VECTORS

• North American (Native) elm bark beetle • Smaller European elm bark beetle Hylurgopinus rufipes Scolytus multistriatus Hylurgopinus rufipes galleries

• Egg galleries run ACROSS grain of wood • Larval galleries run WITH the grain. Scolytus multistriatus galleries

• Egg galleries run WITH the grain of the wood • Larval galleries run ACROSS the grain • Early symptoms – “Green Flagging” become evident (usually in July)

• Later, leaves turn yellow then reddish brown with clear wilting – (late July/August)

Characteristic staining in sapwood. Characteristic staining in sapwood. DED History and Distribution

• First appeared in 1981 (Regina) • Reappeared in 1990 () • DED spread rapidly and became established in the 1990’s • Eradication was attempted but not possible. Millions of $$ spent. • Has moved from east to west along various river valleys containing native American elms: • Cumberland Delta in NE • Souris River in SE • Qu’Appelle Valley • DED is prevalent throughout south/north eastern . • Provincial management program has gone through many changes during last 20+ years. The Current Mistry of Environment DED program:

. conducts surveys & tree removal activities in 8 rural DED management zones

. conducts surveys of high-risk Provincial Parks (SK Parks removes the diseased trees)

. administers regulatory compliance activities

. supports provincial diagnostic services (lab)

. provides scientific and technical support to impacted communities

Municipalities (urban and RM’s) are responsible for conducting, and paying for, DED surveillance and sanitation activities within their jurisdictions. Tisdale

Greenwater Lake P.P.

Rowans Ravine P.P.

Echo Valley Balcarres Regina Beach and Rec. Site Point P.P.

Indian Head MOE Survey Areas Regina Wolseley Buffers

Parks

Estevan 13 Buffer Survey Areas Buffer Location

Rural area within 3 km of Town of Balcarres Balcarres Estevan Rural area within 1 km of City of Estevan

Rural area within 6 km of Town of Indian Indian Head Head not including Federal Land (Agriculture ’s Research Farm)

Melfort Rural area within 5 km of City of Melfort

Rural area within 10 km of City of Moose Moose Jaw Jaw, north of HWY 1 Rural area within 10 – 15 km of the City of Regina, including the communities of Regina Pilot Butte, White City, Emerald Park, and Grand Coulee Tisdale Rural area within 5 km of Town of Tisdale Rural area within 3 km of Town of Wolseley Wolseley Tree Removals (Buffers)

15 2015 • 20 Trees • 5 properties 2016 • 24 Trees • 6 properties 2017 • 42 Trees (29 on former Shelterbelt Center) • 6 properties + former Shelterbelt Center 2018 • 49 Trees (11 on former Shelterbelt Center) • 15 properties + former Shelterbelt Center Tree Marking in Provincial Parks Locations of DED Positive Samples Confirmed by the Lab in 2018 Ministry of Agriculture Crop Protection Laboratory

• Cost sharing agreement between MOE and Ministry of Agriculture for one seasonal staff position to process DED samples at Crop Protection Laboratory in Regina. • DED samples are tested at no cost to the sender. • Samples are received from municipalities, arborists, and individuals from all over the province. • 304 samples in 2018. • 59% of samples tested positive for DED. • 3% of samples tested positive for Dothiorella. • DED continues to spread throughout the south and eastern Saskatchewan. 1999 2009 2015/16 New Infections in 2017 2017 2018 Lab Confirmed DED Positives 1999 - 2018 Dutch Elm Disease 2018

• 2018 Infected tree numbers have increased significantly over 2017 in all buffer zones.

• DED continues to spread throughout southern and eastern Saskatchewan.

• New communities with first confirmed case of DED in SK continue every year. – Watrous

29 Regulatory Authority

• DED is regulated under the authority of the Forest Resources Management Act and Dutch Elm Disease Regulations DED Regulations

FRMA 63.1(1) Every person who owns, occupies or controls any land shall take measures to remove, dispose of, control and prevent the spread of all designated insects or diseases on that land.

DED is a designated pest under FRMA DED Regulations No person may store, use, market or transport any elm tree for use as fire wood or for any other purpose without authorization. • Authorization is not required to transport elm wood to the disposal site for the municipality in which the tree is located. Caronport

Grand Coulee DED Regulations Elm wood identification tips: • Look for X or diamond pattern in bark of mature elms • Check for Dark/Light layering in cross section of cut bark

LOOK AT CROSS ASH MAPLE AM. ELM SECTION OF BARK DED Regulations Disposal of elm trees

Elm wood from pruning or tree removal must be disposed of at the nearest elm disposal site for the municipality in which the tree is located, during the next operating hours of the disposal site.

Operators of elm disposal sites must ensure they dispose of wood in a timely manner by: • burning all bark from the elm tree or • by completely burying the elm tree, covered with at least 25 cm of soil. DED Regulations Disposal of elm trees in an rural municipality Elm wood from pruning or tree removal in a rural municipality may be disposed of on the land on which the elm tree is located by: • burning all bark from the elm tree or • completely burying the elm tree, covered by at least 25 cm of soil. DED Regulations Stumps must be properly treated: • Remove stump 10cm below ground level (stump grinder) or cut close to ground and treat with herbicide to prevent sprouting (16:1 diesel & 2-4-D) DED Regulations No person shall prune an elm tree during the annual pruning ban period of April 1 to Aug 31.

EXCEPTIONS: . Storm damaged trees . Authorization obtained from Ministry or municipal inspector . Municipal or Crown Corp employees that consider it necessary to ensure human safety or to avoid damage to other property . Shearing of an elm hedge

Note: This does not prevent a person from removing an elm tree during the pruning ban period. NOTE: The DED DED Regulations regulations will be updated soon with Approved Professional Tree Pruning Courses and Programs a new course list, as some names Institute Course or Program have changed.

International Society of Arboriculture, Certified Arborist Program Prairie Chapter

Tree Pruning Course Saskatchewan Institute of Applied – if course completed before July 2001, practical pruning Science and Technology (SIAST) upgrading through SIAST required

Saskatchewan Power Corporation Pruning/Dutch Elm Disease Awareness Training Program (SaskPower)

University of Manitoba Manitoba Arborists Training and Examination Program

– Ornamental Horticulture Major Olds College, Alberta – Landscape Gardeners Apprenticeship Program – Utility Tree Worker Safety Training Course Inspectors and Enforcement

• MOE Enforcement Officers . Designated Forest Service staff . SK Conservation Officers

• Provincial DED inspectors . MOE Forest Insect & Disease Program Staff . Rory McIntosh, Colin Arndt, Brian Poniatowski

• Municipal DED inspectors . Approx 50 appointed in municipalities throughout Sask Inspectors and Enforcement

An officer or inspector may:

• Enter any land, whether enclosed or not,

• Take any samples as necessary,

• Order a person to take measures to destroy, control and prevent the spread of DED, including the removal and disposal of infected trees,

• Take any action to control DED if the person served with an order fails to comply with within the specified time. Inspectors and Enforcement Municipal Inspector:

• A municipality may designate any person as a municipal inspector, for the purpose of exercising the powers authorized under the Act and regulations.

• They may exercise their powers only on land within the municipality that designated them.

• They do not exercise any powers on Crown land.

• In the case of a conflict between an order made by a provincial inspector and one made by a municipal inspector, the order made by the provincial inspector prevails. Inspectors and Enforcement

• DED regulation violations resulted in fines for the first time in 2017. • Conservation Officers from Duck Mtn charged 4 individuals in for illegal storage of elm firewood. • 2018 – A Regina tree care company was fined $3500 for illegal storage of elm wood. Emerald Ash Borer WELL ESTABLISHED IN N. AMERICA – EAB first detected in 2002 in Windsor/Detroit - now established throughout southwestern Ontario, Ottawa, Montreal, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and recently found in Winnipeg. Also found in 21 US states.

DIFFICULT TO DETECT - Tree ring analysis often show the beetle can be present for a few years prior to its discovery.

KILLS ALL SPECIES OF ASH – Green, white, black, pumpkin and blue Ash will all be killed as well as other native and exotic species of ash (Genus - Fraxinus) – Note Mountain “ash” is not ash.

ASH IS ABUNDANT AND EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN URBAN FORESTS ACROSS THE PRAIRIES – In the “wake” of Dutch elm disease, ash has been selected as the replacement tree of choice across Canada.

HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT – In Canada the removal and replacement costs to municipalities are estimated to range from 524-890 million dollars. Signs of EAB • S-shaped larval galleries • D-shaped exit holes • Crown Dieback • Woodpecker activity • Epicormic shoots

Native Distribution of Ash (Fraxinus spp.) in North America Cottony Ash Psyllid

Attacks primarily Black and Manchurian Ash

Signs and Symptoms • Curled, distorted leaves • Sticky, white substance on the underside of leaves • Sticky surfaces below the tree • Reduced number of leaves on the inner branches Treatment • Trees can be sprayed with insecticidal soap or insecticide registered for use on trees at bud break • 1st week of June, or • At emergence of adults in July • Spring treatments are most effective • Summer treatment protect leaves that have not yet been distorted.

Ministry of Environment Forest Service Branch Box 3003 Prince Albert, Canada S6V 6G1 www.environment.gov.sk.ca

Colin Arndt Forest Insect and Disease Program Specialist 306-953-2987 [email protected]