Ancient elm is playing a key role in saving its species with new planting project
AN ancient elm tree in Glen A ric has been chosen to help in the fight against Dutch Elm disease.
Thirty-five young elm trees have been transferred from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
(RBGE) and replanted in the shadow of the tree – known as the Last Ent of Aric.
These will be the first of 200 trees planted over the next two years and is part of a joint eort between RBGE and the University of the Highlands and Islands along with landowners like Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) to save the species from Dutch Elm disease.
The project involves cultivating disease resistant seedlings and then planting them at suitable sites and
it is hoped there will be cross pollination between the seedlings to help in the recovery of the species aer decades of loss through disease.
FLS seed resource manager Kenny Hay said: “With the planting that’s been undertaken in collaboration with RBGE, it gives us great hope we
will be able to harvest valuable seed which may be resistant to Dutch Elm Disease and allow us to utilise this rare species in a much wider context across the FLS estate in the future.”
The disease first spread to Britain in the 1920s when it killed 10-40% of elm trees. Although the initial epidemic died down,
a more aggressive species of the Dutch elm disease fungus, Ophiostoma novoulmi, was accidentally introduced into Britain in the 1960s.
Dr Max Coleman of RBGE said: “Using surviving, large wych elms in the Scottish Borders, exposed to Dutch elm disease for around 40 years, we have bred a new generation of seedlings that we hope have inherited resilience to disease from both parents.
“The ospring of these rare, promising trees are being planted in carefully selected sites that meet their needs and oer potential for natural spread.
“This work is assisting the formation of new populations of wild elms that have the genes and the genetic diversity that we hope will enable survival and adaptation in a changing environment.”