Saskatoon reports new cases of Dutch elm disease with removal planned
Dutch elm disease is caused by a deadly fungus that spreads through elm roots and by a specific species of bark beetle that carries the fungus from tree to tree.
Saskatoon has confirmed six new cases of Dutch elm disease in the College Park and Caswell Hill neighborhoods, prompting the city to plan for the removal of infected trees. The cases, concentrated in a row on the 200 block of Carleton Drive and on the 800 block of Avenue C North, represent a significant increase in recent years, with 22 cases identified so far this year, including a record number in 2025.
Thai Hoang, the city's director of parks, emphasized the impact of the disease on the urban canopy, noting the removal of six mature elm trees from one block and three from another. Surveillance and testing efforts are ongoing in surrounding areas, with inspections targeting stored elm wood that may harbor elm bark beetles and contribute to disease spread.
Residents are reminded that transporting, storing, selling, or using elm wood is illegal, and all such wood must be disposed of at the city landfill for free. Dutch elm disease, caused by a fungus transmitted through elm roots and by a specific bark beetle species, can be identified by wilted, drooping, or curling leaves, as well as prematurely falling, yellow leaves.
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