Oak tree decline in Manitoba getting worse, arborist says
Experts are sounding the alarm over Manitoba’s oak tree population.
The bur oaks, which are native to the area, have been in decline for decades but arborists say the problem is only getting worse.
Gerry Engel, arborist and president of Trees Winnipeg, has been keeping a close eye on a treasured oak tree in his Charleswood neighbourhood for several years.
“Part of the tree has declined,” Engel said, pointing to a weak spot on the trunk of the tree.
The towering tree is estimated to be some 200-years-old, but Engel said it’s in decline and the prognosis is poor. He said it’s a sign of a much bigger problem in the province.
“Overall the last several years we’ve noticed a huge increase in the decline of the health of our oak trees,” Engel said.
According to Trees Winnipeg, visible symptoms of oak decline include the dieback of leaves and major limbs of the tree’s canopy.
Engel said a combination of factors are to blame including an insect that lives in the tree called the two-lined chestnut borer, as well as drought and urban development.
“These trees were here when the communities were built, so we’ve changed their environment entirely,” he said.
One example is the replacement of undergrowth with turf grass, leaving the sensitive root systems of oak trees exposed. Oak decline’s a problem Engel said isn’t getting the same attention as Dutch Elm Disease or the Emerald Ash Borer.
“The oak’s kind of been the silent one but it’s speaking now and it’s showing us and telling us I’m not well, either,” Engel said.
The issue of dying oak trees is one the City of Winnipeg said its urban forestry department has observed and is investigating.
“Multiple samples have been taken by urban forestry and private industry to assess for disease and no causal pathogens have been detected,” the city said. “It is suspected to be resulting from a combination of very dry conditions in recent years, exposure of older oaks to urban conditions, and many years of oak decline, however urban forestry is continuing to investigate.”
The Manitoba government said its forestry branch is also on the case.
“The branch has conducted surveys in areas that are reported to have oak mortality and will be examining those areas in more detail,” the province said. “At this time we are not aware of any new insect or disease that is known to be impacting the oaks population in Manitoba.”
Engel said one solution may be re-naturalization of developed areas.
“I think Wellington Crescent is a great example,” he said. “Take a block or two and naturalize that space under these stressing oak trees and see what kind of an effect that will have going forward.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.