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The City of St. Catharines is taking steps to prevent Bretziella Fagacearum - more commonly known as oak wilt - from gaining a foothold in the area.
The fungal pathogen was recently detected in nearby Niagara Falls, making it the first recorded case in Canada. It was also recently detected in the Township of Springwater.
“Oak trees are a very important part of the local ecosystem,” said Manager of Parks, Cemeteries, Forestry and Horticulture Dan Cooper. “We’d like to thank our staff and community for their ongoing commitment to keeping our green areas safe and oak wilt-free.”
City staff are proactively identifying locations in the City that have large numbers of oak trees. Once an area has been determined, staff will canvas the area and look for signs of decline within the trees and for early detection of the fungus.
Trees will not be pruned between April and October, as per Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recommendations. If a tree needs to be pruned due to an immediate hazard, the tree will be treated with wound dressing to prevent the fungal spores from infiltrating the tree.
City staff are encouraging residents to be vigilant. Proactive steps that can be taken include not transporting firewood long distances and not pruning oak trees between April and October.
Symptoms to look for in a sick tree include the wilting and bronzing (changing of colour) of oak leaves (this typically starts near the top of the tree), premature leaf falling, white, gray, or black fungal mats, sometimes called “pressure pads” just under the bark that can emit a fruitlike smell and vertical bark cracks in the trunk and large branches.
If residents believe they have identified a tree with oak wilt, they are encouraged to report it to the CFIA with as much information as they can, including the location of the tree and photos of the symptoms.
For more information, please visit stcatharines.ca/OakWilt.
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