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Thirty-two letters were sent to private property owners requiring that the diseased <br />• elm trees on their property be removed within 20 days as required by state law. <br />This involved the removal of about 63 diseased elm trees. <br />Ten property owners resolved the DED problem on their property with a phone <br />call. This involved eight DED trees. Most of the property owners were <br />cooperative and removed the trees in a timely manner, unless an extension was <br />requested, typically because tree contractors were overburdened this year. <br />Dutch Elm Disease There was a significant increase in the incidence of <br />DED this year for the City of Falcon Heights, as well as in other communities in <br />the Metro Area. This year 99 elm trees were identified with DED whereas last <br />year 29 trees were identified as having DED. Public trees included: fifteen trees <br />on city property, one on county property and 12 on University of Minnesota <br />property. Sixty-three diseased trees were on private property. <br />Table 1. Summa of DED for the Past Three Years <br /> 2004 2003 2002 <br />Public Trees 28 8 22 <br />Private Trees 71 21 8 <br />Total 99 29 30 <br />• With city staff approval and gratitude, a resident volunteered to protect the elm <br />tree on the boulevard adjacent to his property by having the tree injected with a <br />fungicide. This fungicide will provide the tree with some disease resistance. If <br />the tree succumbs to DED the city will remove the tree at the city's expense. A <br />business owner is also starting to treat two trees on their property in an effort to <br />prevent DED. <br />Forestry Initiatives <br />Arona and Iowa Maples Approximately eight to ten years ago, maple trees <br />were planted in the Northome and Northeast neighborhoods. In the past few <br />years some of these same trees have started to decline. In fact, upon closer <br />inspection, the trees appear to be rotting from the inside. It also appears that the <br />trees were planted too deep. As a result, the roots may be girdling the stem, or <br />trunk causing the tree to die slowly. <br />Recommendation: Continue to monitor and remove as necessary. <br />Oak Wllt Recommendation: Staff will continue to monitor <br />Street Tree Master Plan A Street Tree Master Plan is an official city <br />• approved plan that identifies the tree species that should be planted on each <br />~S <br />