Dutch elm disease, a plague from the late 1970s, could take its toll this year, some experts say, because homeowners and municipalities are less aggressive in treating the disease.
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Last year 4,000 trees were destroyed. In 2002, 3,600 trees were felled, and slightly more than 2,000 were destroyed in 2001 because of the disease. Experts say a decline in awareness and the maturation of trees that rooted decades ago may be fueling this year's infections.
Another factor may be the presence of Siberian elm trees, which can harbor the disease undetected for years.
More than 2,000 American elm trees in Minneapolis are infected now, double the amount that were infected this time last year. Tree experts say many more will be diagnosed this year.