It is now considered safe to prune your elm trees. The pruning ban has now been lifted for Saskatchewan residents after several months prohibiting the removal of elm trees to curb Dutch Elm Disease.
The fungus that causes the disease is spread by elm bark beetles, which are at their most active between April 1st and August 31st. These beetles are most attracted to the trees after they’ve been cut, which can lead to an infection. According to the City of Regina, one of the first signs of an infected tree is the yellowing of leaves which do not fall off the branch.
Earlier this summer, 26 cases of Dutch Elm Disease were reported in Regina, which has seen an increase in cases over the years. In 2025 alone there were 87 cases.
The province is reminding residents to prune the trees properly and to never store or transport elm firewood unless it’s being disposed of properly. For those who are unabale to cut their own trees, provincial officials recommend hiring qualified tree pruners who have compeleted a provincial training course in cutting elm trees.
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