On Saturday, Sept. 14th 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Rainbow Treecare planted a Princeton elm tree near Lake of the Isles in recognition of the Newton Avenue Elm Group. This dedicated neighborhood group has protected 41 American elms in their Kenwood neighborhood from Dutch elm disease since the 1970s.
Dutch elm disease (DED) is a fatal disease caused by a fungus specific only to elms that infects the vascular (water-conducting) system of the tree. The fungus infests the tree’s upper crown and slowly progresses down the tree, killing branches as it goes. Eventually the entire tree dies. Common signs of Dutch elm disease include wilting of leaves on the infected branches and brown staining on the vascular tissue of the tree beneath the bark. DED is preventable with treatment.
In the mid-1970s, during one of the worst DED outbreaks in MN history, the City of Minneapolis removed 38,000 elm trees affected by the disease. During this time, the residents of Newton Avenue joined together to protect their elms from DED.
At the dedication ceremony on Sept. 14th, Rainbow Treecare planted a Dutch elm disease-resistant Princeton elm to recognize the Newton Avenue Elm Group’s advocacy for conserving our urban canopy. In attendance at the dedication ceremony was past and present residents of the Newton Avenue Elm Group; Greg Krogstad, President of Rainbow Treecare; and Russell Kennedy, Certified Arborist serving the Kenwood neighborhood. In addition to the tree planting, The City of Minneapolis is donating a commemorative tree ring in honor of the Newton Avenue Elm Group’s efforts.
The dedication was Saturday, Sept. 14th 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Lake of the Isles.
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