According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, it's Tree Check Month, an important way for Canadians to help protect their local forests and greenery.
Adele Julien, Plant Health Risk Assessor with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said the goals of Tree Check Month are all pretty simple.
"To encourage Canadians to look for signs of invasive pests on the trees in their yard, their neighbourhood, and just in green spaces...August is a great time to inspect your trees, as pests are more active, and people are just more likely to be outside and enjoying the nice weather," said Julien.
The process is very simple. Julien desribes it as working from the ground up: starting with checks of the roots and base of the tree for cuts or damage, and inspecting that damage.
"Another thing to look for is frass, so it kind of looks like sawdust, and what it is, it's waste from insects making holes in your tree, so all of those things can be found near the bottom of the tree," said Julien.
To wrap up your tree check, take a look at the canopy, and take note of any discoloured leaves, or leaves with holes. If you notice anything out of the ordinary with the tree, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency encourages you to contact a local professional to find solutions.
Why bother with checking your trees? They're a lot more important than you might realize.
"Healthy trees really are the foundation of strong ecosystems, resilient communities, and a stable economy as well. Forestry is a very big sector in Canada, and protecting tree health supports local jobs, sustainable trade, and Canada's reputation for high-quality, pest-free exports," said Julien.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's website, the main pest to watch out for in Manitoba is the Emerald Ash Borer. The CFIA says that pest alone has already killed millions of trees across the continent, and has spread to 6 provinces.
