The City of Lethbridge has implemented a province-wide ban on pruning elm trees that began April 1 and will remain in effect until September 30, 2026. This annual measure is designed to protect the local urban forest from Dutch Elm Disease, a serious fungal infection that can kill elm trees.
The disease is spread by elm bark beetles, which are particularly attracted to the scent of fresh cuts on elm trees during the warmer months. By prohibiting pruning during this window, the City of Lethbridge aims to reduce the risk of attracting these beetles to the city’s population of approximately 5,000 public and 5,000 private elm trees. The ban also strictly forbids the storing, selling, or transporting of elm wood.
Lethbridge has previously faced threats from this disease, with two trees in the Uplands neighbourhood testing positive for the fungus in August 2020. Those trees were removed and buried immediately. Following three years of intensive monitoring, the city was declared free of the disease, and officials are working to maintain that status, as Alberta remains one of the last areas in North America without an established population of the infection.
Failure to comply with these regulations is an offence under the provincial Agricultural Pests Act, which allows for fines and other enforcement actions. Residents play a critical role in these conservation efforts by keeping an eye on trees in their neighbourhoods. Anyone who spots a struggling elm is encouraged to report it by contacting Lethbridge 311 or the Society to Prevent Dutch Elm Disease hotline at 1-877-837-3567 (ELMS).
