In the words of Dr. McCoy, "It's dead, Jim."
This was the realization I had a few days ago looking at a large, majestic elm tree in our backyard. The end of June was here, and it had maybe 15 per cent of the foliage one would expect.
Some of the lower limbs had normal leaves. But most of the upper limbs were spartan, to say the least. Several were almost nude, and quite a few were simply dead.
Off to Google I went. Is this Dutch Elm Disease?
Looking at the pictures, and reading about the timing, it looked possible.
It was a revelation - soon I noticed that there were five such trees in various stages of distress within 100 yards of my house. Our tree was one of the worst, but it definitely was not alone.
I sent photos to the City of Estevan, and they forwarded them on to their contact who looks after Dutch Elm Disease outbreaks for the province. From the pictures, he wasn't sure if that was indeed it. But he did write this:
"Yes the City of Estevan has been dealing with DED since the mid '90s, with the peak of infections occurring during the period of 2000-06 when you guys were losing 20-30 trees per year. The number of infections in the city has been dropping annually since 2006, down to only one tree on 2nd Street last summer. Just going off the pictures, I thought it looked like trees that had a very heavy seed crop this year and now the seeds have dropped, leaving the trees looking thin like that. Although too late for your trees, it would be interesting to hear how the others you mentioned around town are looking later this summer, if it was just a big seed drop or other stress factor they may recover. If the others do not recover, they will need to be removed as well, but I would recommend waiting this out for a bit.
"Since dead elm wood is used by the elm bark beetle as a breeding site, please make sure your cut elm trees are properly disposed of now that you have removed the trees. Provincial regulations make it illegal to keep the wood for firewood or any other purpose. All of your elm wood including the branches must be taken to a designated elm wood disposal site as soon as possible where it must be burned or buried to a depth of 25 cm. I believe the city landfill will take your elm wood and deal with it properly. Also, the stumps need to be cut to ground level and should be treated with a 16-1 mix of diesel and 2-4-D or removed with stump grinder to 10 cm below ground level."
My neighbour is an arborist. He was kind enough to look it over. While Dutch Elm Disease has to be diagnosed in a lab, he said our tree very likely had it. He's been dealing with it for years.
Whatever it is, our tree, the primary shade tree, was well on its way to being dead, if not dead already. It would have to go.
I love my reciprocating saw. I hate my reciprocating saw. The sturdy 10-year-old Dewalt is my favourite power tool, by far. But every time I pick it up, I create more work for myself.
Even the mighty yellow saw could not handle the larger branches and trunk, however, so my wife is now the proud owner of a cheapie electric chain saw, which I will not allow her to use. Usually I like to buy quality gear, but this may be the only tree I chop down in my life, so it will do.
This Dutch Elm Disease, if that is indeed what it is, is a curse. Our yard is much brighter, but feels wrong. With our primary shade tree gone, the whole vibe of our home has changed.
I just hope the dozens of trees around Estevan that look the same don't meet the same fate. Dutch Elm or not, our tree was dead. I fear it is patient zero in a contagion that may sweep the city.
- Brian Zinchuk is editor of Pipeline News. He can be reached at [email protected].
