The following is a message from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA):
Hello,
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) needs your help as a leading voice in the field of tree and plant health.
Oak wilt has been found in Canada, specifically in the province of Ontario. We are strongly advising arborists and landscapers not to prune oak trees until November to help prevent the spread of oak wilt.
As you may be aware, oak wilt is a disease that can cause serious damage to Canada’s oak tree population.
There are several pathways by which oak wilt can spread, including:
- via root grafting, where the fungus travels through the interconnected roots of infected and healthy trees growing in close proximity;
- via insects, such as sap and bark beetles that carry spores of the fungus from an infected tree to a healthy one
- human-assisted spread through the movement of things such as firewood and pruning during high-risk periods.
This is why the CFIA is asking the public not to prune oak trees between April and November, as oak trees are at high risk for oak wilt infection during this time.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Given your expertise in the industry, we would appreciate if you could share this message with your clients and staff. I invite you to review the attached document (see below) and incorporate messaging into your own communication this fall. Content could be promoted in various ways including your website, newsletter and social media. Information and photos.
By working together, we can help ensure Canadians are well-informed on the signs and symptoms of oak wilt and how to report sightings. Please share this with others in your network who may be interested in amplifying this content. For more information, go to inspection.canada.ca/oak-wilt.
We are currently developing additional communications products in support of oak wilt prevention and will share additional information with you once available.
