Released March 23, 2021
WEYBURN – From April 1 to August 31 every year, it is illegal to prune elm trees in Saskatchewan.
The ban coincides with the time of year when the elm bark beetles that spread Dutch elm disease (DED) are most active. Fresh cuts from pruning can attract the tiny insects, increasing the chance of an infection.
DED can affect any elm tree and once infected, the disease always kills – over several seasons or sometimes in as little as three weeks. Learn how identify an elm tree, DED symptoms, prevention and management by exploring the topics on the City’s DED website.
Residents with a city-owned tree on their property can fill out a request form to have the City of Weyburn Parks Department prune the city-owned tree. Every year the Parks Dept. receives hundreds of pruning requests; all pruning requests will be prioritized according to a set criteria and other Parks Dept. related work.
The City of Weyburn has more than 7,000 city-owned trees throughout its Urban Forest, which require ongoing maintenance and pruning to help them thrive. On Monday, March 22, City Council approved a tree pruning contract for 2021 with Green Drop LTD. to assist the Parks Dept. with pruning “priority” areas in the city consisting of an estimated 382 trees.
Pruning is necessary for overall health of a tree, traffic and pedestrian clearance, and mitigating hazards such as broken branches. Pruning of city-owned trees is done primarily over the winter months, although some work performed year-round.
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