Disease statistics
From June to September, on average, the forester and 2–3 seasonal tree inspectors complete over 1,500 initial tree inspections on public and private property in order to identify elms with Dutch elm disease (DED) and oaks with oak wilt. Every site is rechecked for compliance after the property owner’s deadline lapses. Each private property owner is notified with a door hanger when their property has met the city’s guidelines for disease control. Tree inspectors make approximately 3,200 total site visits during the growing season.
Each year, about 2,000 elms and 75 red oaks are identified as diseased and marked for removal city wide. This includes private property, city property, county and state road edges, railroad properties and trail easements. We also look for elm wood with bark intact, and usually find over 25 piles private property. We mark them for removal like we would a dead/diseased elm, since storing elm wood with bark intact (diseased or not) creates a breeding site for beetles that spread DED.
