2017 Removal & Replacement of Diseased Schubert Chokecherry Trees

Mar 6, 2017

NOVEMBER 2017 UPDATE: The Urban Forestry Branch has had to allocate the majority of its in-house resources towards the management of Dutch Elm Disease and safety related tree matters, which unfortunately has had an effect on the Schubert removal/replacement program for 2017 season. The following streets completed in the South Winnipeg – St. Norbert Ward for 2017 received removals:

Cardno Cove (6 trees)
Manby Ave (9 trees)
Strand Circle (9 trees)
Tiverton Bay (6 trees)
Warde Ave (14 trees)
Acton Pl (4 trees)

The Urban Forestry Branch will continue to work on the remaining streets on the list during the 2018 planting season (May to October).

Winnipeg has about 6,000+ Schubert chokecherry trees in City parks and on City boulevards. Unfortunately, many of them are infected with black knot, a fungal disease affecting species of cherry and plum trees. This disease is distributed across North America and is widespread throughout Winnipeg. Information about the disease, including photos, is available from Winnipeg’s Urban Foresty Department.

The total cost of removing a Schubert chokecherry and doing a replacement planting is about $1,000. This includes many factors: the tree removal, stump grinding, replacement tree (nursery stock approx. 10-12’ tall, machine dug root ball wrapped in burlap and wire basket), tree planting, and two years of maintenance to ensure the tree gets properly established.

In May, 2015, Councillor Lukes hosted a community town hall in partnership with Councillor Mayes (St. Vital ward) to discuss Black Knot Fungus which is affecting many south Winnipeg trees. We had the City Forester provide a presentation on Winnipeg’s urban forest, as well as how to deal with trees infected with Black Knot. To learn more, refer to the town hall presentation (Black Knot Town Hall Meeting May 25, 2015).

South Winnipeg-St. Norbert Ward – 2017 Tree Removal and Replacement

The City Forester is responsible to determine which trees will be removed/replaced on an annual basis. In 2017, the streets listed below are planned for Schubert chokecherry removals and replacements in the South Winnipeg-St. Norbert ward:

STREET	FROM	TO	AMOUNT OF SCHUBERTS
ALBURG DR	PADDINGTON RD	TRALEE PL	18
BURLAND AVE	PADDINGTON RD	JOHN FORSYTH RD	9
CARDNO COVE	BRIXTON BAY	BRIXTON BAY	6
EASTCOTE DR	ALDGATE RD	ALDGATE RD	31
MANBY AVE	PADDINGTON RD	WESTBOURNE CRES	9
SOUTHLAWN STROLL	BAIRDMORE BLVD	BAIRDMORE BLVD	14
STRAND CIR	CHARING CROSS	CHARING CROSS	9
TIVERTON BAY	HIGHBURY RD	HIGHBURY RD	6
WARDE AVE	DAKOTA ST	JOHN FORSYTH RD	14
WESTBOURNE CRES	PADDINGTON RD	BURLAND AVE	29
BANTRY PL	REGIS DR	REGIS DR	11
ST EDMUND’S BAY	DALHOUSIE DR	DALHOUSIE DR	17
ACTON PL	BRIXTON BAY	BRIXTON BAY	4

Tree removals/replacements will begin in May/June, weather permitting.

Schuberts are being replaced with a variety of tree species, depending on site conditions and as determined by the Forestry technician based on the policy of “right tree, right place”. Species include a variety of elms, lindens, very limited ash, maples, bur oak, Ohio buckeye, alder, hackberry, hawthorn, Amur cherry, rosybloom crabapples, and Japanese tree lilac.

In some locations, Schuberts may be replaced with a shade tree, which means there will be greater spacing between trees due to the larger canopy cover. Historically, Schuberts were planted by land developers under the City’s tree planting guidelines, but guidelines may have not been followed with respect to spacing and proximity to infrastructure. In addition, site conditions may have changed since the time of the original planting.

If the City is not able to replant at a site, other more suitable sites that meet current planting specifications will be reviewed. This determination is made by Forestry Technicians when they inspect each site prior to issuing a planting order.

Options for Residents

To report a tree on City property which is infected with black knot, please call 311 or E-Mail 311@winnipeg.ca. As there is a lengthy list of diseased Schuberts to be removed across Winnipeg, it may take several years before the tree will be removed by City services.

As an alternative, homeowners who are not satisfied with the timeline for services on City-owned trees have the option of hiring a qualified contractor to perform the work at their own cost. If there is a group of residents who are interested in pooling their resources to hire a qualified contractor to address Schubert removals and replacements in a shorter timeframe, they can certainly do so. For details, visit Tree Maintenance Guidelines.

Winnipeg’s Urban Forestry Department has a large portfolio to attend to. It includes all aspects of modern ‘urban forestry’: tree inventories, tree planting, watering and fertilizing, pruning, D.E.D. (Dutch Elm Disease) control, removal operations, public relations and education, extension services, group workshops, on-site inspections and contract administration. Visit their website to learn more about the important services they provide.