Action Plan to Control Cottony Ash Psyllid in BIDs
From beginning to mid-May, the City will take action to control cottony ash psyllid. As outlined in a report to City Council late last year, the pest is affecting trees in Saskatoon’s downtown area, business improvement districts, and surrounding neighbourhoods.
“Large numbers of psyllids were detected in trees planted within concrete cut-outs in our central business areas, which have been particularly susceptible,” says Michelle Chartier, Superintendent of Urban Forestry and Pest Management.
Cottony ash psyllid is a non-native yellow/green pest first identified in Saskatoon, in 2006, on black and mancana ash trees. Native to central Europe, the insect has made several appearances in North America, including recent infestations in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Alberta.
“Cottony ash psyllids are most easily recognized by the damage they create, such as browning, yellowing, and curling around leaflets, and the presence of white cotton within the leaflet,” Chartier says. “Heavily infested trees will often lose leaves, with the remaining leaves twisted into a corkscrew shape.”
Chartier says City-owned trees have been examined and marked with colour codes to signify the action that will be taken to lessen the infestation of psyllids and preserve the natural beauty of the business districts.
- White-marked trees will receive injections of an insecticide to try to prevent further damage and spread.
- Green-marked trees will be removed and replaced with a different species not susceptible to psyllids, including: 52 trees downtown, 14 in the Broadway area, 10 in Riversdale, and 29 along 22nd Street. Short-term parking restrictions will be in place in the work area.
“Cleanup, including stump removal and backfilling of topsoil, will be coordinated after tree removal. During this time, safety measures will be placed around the tree stump area to avoid any possible tripping hazards,” Chartier says.
At home, the best approach to avoid cottony ash psyllid is to keep your ash trees in good health. Water between rainfalls, protect your trees from root or trunk damage, and avoid the use of herbicides or excessive salts in the soil near trees.
For more information, please visit saskatoon.ca/cottonyashpsyllid or call 306-975-3300.