Resolutions

Therefore be it resolved that SUMA request that Saskatchewan Environment increase funding to the Dutch Elm Disease Management Program and that the department eliminate the population thresholds required for citizens and American Elms and make the cost sharing agreement accessible to all urban communities.

Response: The Dutch Elm Disease program (DED) and budget are currently extended to their maximum. New cost-share agreements and resources will continue to be limited to communities meeting the criteria (800 residents, 400 elms). The provincial cost share program was developed as part of this commitment to shared responsibility. To develop community level response to DED, Saskatchewan Environment has set specific criteria to identify communities that qualify for the program. Partnership agreements are made with those communities having a large inventory of American elm tress (400 or more elms) and a moderately high number of permanent residents. The purpose of these criteria is to make sure that the program resources are used as efficiently as possible, to deliver the most effective DED management, for the majority of the province’s elms. Saskatchewan Environment, in partnership with all levels of government, has made significant progress in the delivery of a cost-effective and comprehensive DED management program to control the spread of DED in Saskatchewan. While new cost-share agreements must be limited to communities meeting the criteria, Saskatchewan Environment will continue to work with urban and rural communities’ alike, providing technical assistance and advice concerning all aspects of DED management. Continued local-level management efforts are important for all communities where DED threaten elm trees.