American Elm Comeback

MetroParks volunteer Lindy McDonough peers from behind Elmer the giant American Elm at the Shoup Mill Conservation Area.

Many people know the story of the loss of the American Elms.  These stately trees preferred (and prefer) floodplains and moist sites.  As they got larger they took on a distinctive vase shape with large curving branches.  They could grow to immense sizes and made excellent street trees.  For that reason they were planted widely in the midwest and east in cities and towns.

Starting in 1928, three species of microfungi were introduced to North America from imported elm logs.  The fungi, called Dutch Elm Disease, was spread by bark beetles.  American elms had no resistance to the disease and died throughout the cities, towns, and forests of America through the 1960's.

Many people think that was the end of elms and they have gone the way of the Passenger Pigeon.  I am happy to report that this is not the case.  American Elms are still a common tree in the forests of the MetroParks and southwest Ohio.  Increasingly I am seeing large specimens that seem to be thriving.  Young trees and seedlings are very common.  The Dutch Elm Disease is still around and every summer one can find dead and dying elms, but I think overall they are recovering.  A few years ago I easily found a dozen or so specimens 2-5 feet in diameter and completely healthy.  Last spring I collected their abundant small seeds and took them to Cox Arboretum.  There our tree grower extraordinaire, Meredith Cobb, germinated them and grew them to small seedlings.  These were "fostered" to people to take care of last summer.  This spring they were part of the plantings described earlier.  At least 3,000 elms were planted in the MetroParks to help replace the rapidly dying ash trees.  It is hoped that these trees have some resistance to Dutch Elm Disease.

MetroParks Consevation staff Steve Sherman, Bryan Dorsey, Matt Parker, and Rob Ligas planting  resistant American Elms at the Shoup Mill Conservation Area.

We may not know for many years if in fact they do.  However, some elms were discovered years ago in New England that are scientifically shown to resist Dutch Elm Disease.  Last fall MetroParks collaborated with the US Forest Service and planted 40 resistant elms in the Shoup Mill Conservation Area.  These scions are keeping "Elmer" the giant American Elm tree company in this newly protected area along the Stillwater River.  Elmer is one of the biggest American Elms in the State.