The City of Steinbach is once again participating in the provincial Dutch Elm Disease and Invasive Species Monitoring programs this summer.

Officials say that monitoring is done through visual inspections and trapping of adult insects, aerial surveys, and remote sensing.

  • Dutch elm disease (DED) surveys and emerald ash borer (EAB) monitoring are underway again this season in participating communities.
  • Provincial inspectors will be driving or walking around both public and private properties to look for DED infected trees, elm firewood with bark attached. Elm firewood spreads DED and is illegal to store.
  • Inspectors may be working in the evenings and on weekends.
  • Inspectors wear high-visibility vests and government issued identification.
  • Inspectors may not approach every resident or house before entering onto properties to conduct inspections.
  • Inspectors will ring doorbells or knock on doors prior to taking branch samples, marking DED infected trees, or marking elm firewood for removal under the Dutch elm disease management program and The Forest Health Protection Act.
  • The City reminds the public that Elms cannot be pruned between April 1st and July 31st. The bark beetles that spread DED are attracted to fresh pruning cuts.

For more information about this program, call 204-945-7866.