Letchworth GC helps restore elm population

Over one hundred elm trees are to be grown in Letchworth GC as part of a nationwide project. The Conservation Foundation has launched ‘The Great British Elm Experiment’ attempting to reintroduce 10,000 elm trees across the UK and find out why some survived Dutch elm disease of the 1960’s, wiping out over 25 million of the trees in the UK.

Special saplings have been produced from cuttings of elms which have either resisted or survived the disease for over 60 years. These saplings have been sent to hundreds of schools, community groups, local authorities and private landowners who have signed up to take part in the experiment.

As part of the scheme, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation will plant 108 saplings, one for each year of the town’s founding, in a number of locations across Letchworth Garden City including Wymondley Wood, Radwell Meadow, Standalone Farm, Works Road and Willian Arboretum. The trees’ progress will be logged and regularly reported to The Conservation Foundation for analysis.

Heritage Foundation Environmental expert, Elizabeth Towler said: “This is great for Letchworth Garden City as it enables the town to play a part in helping re-establish this fine tree back in to the British landscape.  It is not known why some elms resisted or survived Dutch elm disease, whilst millions perished. Hopefully this project will help us to understand why, and allow a new generation of elms to flourish.” 

For more information on The Great British Elm Experiment visit www.conservationfoundation.co.uk Download a map of the 13.6 mile Garden City Greenway at www.greenway.org.uk

Photo, from left to right: The Heritage Foundation’s Environmental Expert Elizabeth Towler and Chairman Colin Chatfield plant one of the 108 trees on the Greenway.