Summer is now hopefully with us and with the warmer weather, the Island’s elms are once more under threat from Dutch elm disease.
In June 2011, DEFA launched its Open Elm Project, a public crowdsourcing initiative, which aims to encourage the public to help identify and report trees which may be infected with Dutch elm disease and thereby assist the Department in its effort to protect the Island’s elm trees.
This year we are inviting you to engage with the Open Elm Project and ENTER A PRIZE DRAW IN WHICH YOU CAN WIN THE LATEST iPad 3.
The website http://www.openelm.org.im enables anyone who has use of iPhone or Android apps to submit the location, health and photograph of a suspect elm tree. The necessary apps can be found on the Openelm website. For those without access to iPhones or the necessary apps, reports can also be entered directly on the site at www.openelm.org.im or by telephoning the Forestry Directorate on 801263.
In order to be entered into the draw, you must submit relevant reports which contribute to the fight to protect the Island’s elm population. Each relevant report will give you one chance to win. Further Terms and Conditions of entry are available from the Department.
Dutch elm disease can be transmitted from tree to tree by the elm bark beetle, root grafts and infected pruning tools. An infected elm tree usually shows symptoms soon after infection. Because of the speed with which the disease attacks, detecting symptoms as early as possible is essential so that sanitation felling can be carried out to control the spread. The main symptoms to look out for are: wilting of leaves and young shoots; premature yellowing or discolouration of leaves; retention of dead leaves during summer; and the rapid development of symptoms.
Chairman of the Forestry, Amenity & Lands Directorate, Mrs Brenda Cannell MHK, said “I hope this initiative will encourage more people to be vigilant and help us continue to combat this aggressive strain of elm disease which remains a serious threat to large areas of the Island’s tree population.”
The draw will take place on 30th September 2012.
Terms and Conditions governing the draw appear on the DEFA website www.gov.im/defa , or are available by contacting James Lee, Dutch Elm Disease Co-ordinator, on 490713 or email james.lee@gov.im.
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