Elm Tree

THE loss of hundreds of thousands of trees to Dutch elm disease was one of the biggest landscape disasters ever suffered in Britain – but plans are underway to mark the 30th anniversary of a nationwide campaign to fill the gap.

In 1979, the paper manufacturing group Pitney Bowes began to import into Britain a species of elm from America called Sapporo Autumn Gold which is believed to be resistant to the disease. They were planted all across Europe in parks, gardens and school grounds.

This movement led in turn to the creation of the Conservation Foundation to monitor the progress of the experiment. Trees, of course, take decades to reach maturity and after 30 years, the foundation is anxious to hear progress reports from anyone with one of the new elms in their grounds.

As part of the 30th anniversary celebration, the foundation will also be offering schools and gardens the opportunity to take part in The Great British Elm Experiment, a new national elm planting campaign.

This time it will use young trees propagated from mature healthy, native elms which the foundation has discovered still growing in the English countryside.

• Anyone with a Sapporo Autumn Gold or interested in joining the new planting experiment should contact elms@conservationfoundation.co.uk