Dutch elm disease discovered in downtown Edmonton, Delwood-area trees

Dutch elm disease (DED) has resurfaced in Edmonton, with two new cases confirmed in the downtown and Delwood neighborhoods. These findings mark the 15th and 16th confirmed infections in the city, two years after the disease was first detected in 2024. The presence of DED poses a significant threat to Edmonton's urban forest, which comprises approximately 90,000 elm trees, representing 22 percent of the city's green spaces.

City officials confirmed the disease in the two trees after observing symptoms and conducting tests. Tree removals, managed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Alberta government, commenced on Friday. Elms located within a 20-meter radius of the infected trees will also be removed as part of the city's containment strategy. The infected wood will be disposed of at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.

While trees in the Downtown area will not have nearby elms removed due to contained root systems, ground surveillance and further testing are being initiated. These new cases follow four others confirmed recently in the Glengarry and Rossdale neighborhoods, and three more in Calder, Northmount, and Rossdale earlier in July. The city advises residents to prevent DED spread by not transporting firewood from other regions, removing bark beetle habitats, and reporting any suspected infected trees.