Disease-resistant elm trials
Join our trial and claim your free trees to take part
The English countryside was once dominated by elms, stately giants that watched over our landscape, providing a beauty of form and grace unique to these glorious trees. Since the 1960s, they have been ravaged by Dutch elm disease, a disease that was accidently introduced to Europe in the early 20th century. The disease is caused by a pathogenic microfungus carried by two species of elm bark beetle and has killed nearly all the mature elms in Britain, an estimated toll of 60-100 million trees.
The elm was historically one of the six major trees within our woodlands, widely used in landscaping and hosts more than 80 species of invertebrate, including several rare moths and the now endangered white-letter hairstreak butterfly.
We are trialling several different elm varieties that have been developed by specialised breeding programmes, with initial findings suggesting these cultivars can resist the disease and establish well. The planting locations are being mapped to help record future growth patterns, ability to resist the disease and how well the elms support biodiversity and nature recovery.
‘Re-elming’ Hampshire will provide a huge support to wildlife that relied on this once ubiquitous tree.
Our disease resistant elm funding scheme is now closed but we are seeking expressions of interest from parish and town councils, community groups, farmers, landowners, and other organisations who may be interested in tree planting or hedgerow creation during the next winter tree planting season.
Complete our expressions of interest form today
SPONSORS
Help us plant one million trees in Hampshire. We are looking for sponsors for specific road sections to create the new green corridors through Hampshire. Contact [email protected] to get involved.
FUNDING SUPPORT
We are supporting tree and hedgerow planting on farms and across communities in Hampshire through our Shoots Along the Routes funding scheme and Linking leaves. We can provide free trees for community spaces, schools, colleges, parks and farms. Contact us for more information.
