Trees removed due to Dutch Elm Disease on Confederation Boulevard

The National Capital Commission (NCC) wishes to advise the public that a number of dead or dying elm trees will be removed from the Wellington Street section of Confederation Boulevard, starting Monday morning, October 20.  Although the NCC has successfully extended the lives of many of these trees by over a decade, through its comprehensive Dutch elm disease management program, there are now 18 trees on Wellington Street that constitute a safety hazard for pedestrians and motorists, as they are dead or dying of Dutch elm disease.

Maintenance crews will begin removing trees on Monday morning. Work will take place outside of peak hours, and may involve some lane closures. The NCC urges pedestrians and drivers to exercise caution, respect the barricades, and obey the signs and flag persons present during the tree removal.

The removed trees will be replaced. Replanting will occur next spring.

Dutch elm disease, a fungus that spreads through the roots and causes the tree to slowly decay, has been ravaging the elm population in North America since the 1930s. Since the 1970s, it has decimated the elm tree population in Canada’s Capital Region.

For more information about elm tree removal, please contact the NCC at 613-239-5000 , 613-239-5090 (TTY), 1-800-465-1867 (toll-free) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the NCC’s website at www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca .