It's funny what random things you remember from your childhood. I grew up on a farm in Cattaraugus Country with acres and acres of fields and forest, but the one thing that stands out in my mind is the huge elm tree which stood at the edge of our yard by the road.
I don't know if someone planted the elm or if it just grew there, but it left a lasting impression on me. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I was a tree-climbing kid back then and had conquered most of the maples and apple trees within walking distance. This elm just stood there and laughed at me. With its massive trunk, spindly lower branches, and few large branches shooting skyward way above my head, a skinny, little kid didn't have a chance of an ice cream cone in July of scaling that mountain of wood. Every day, I looked at that tree, my nemesis, and every day I kept wondering how I could win. My dream was to shinny up it, stand tall when I finally got a footing, and cheer at my victory. The strength and beauty of untamed nature was in that tree, but then it all changed.
The leaves started to turn yellow and wilt. Soon the towering tree was dead, standing like a defeated warrior stripped of his headdress. I was heartbroken. My dad explained it was a sickness called "Dutch Elm Disease," and it had come to America from Europe. It was killing most of the elm trees, and nothing could be done about it as it was spread from tree to tree by a tiny beetle. For several years, the tree stood, turning gray and weathered as its bark peeled off and the smaller branches came down in the wind. Finally, when my father deemed it a safety hazard, he took it down with the chain saw. It was a sad day in my life to see the tree thunder to the ground. I couldn't defeat that wonderful tree by climbing it, but a small insect could drop it dead.
This elm tree, found on Route 394 in Lakewood, gives hope for the future of the species.
Photo by Susan M. Songster-Weaver
Dutch Elm Disease, or DED, has a story to be wary of. From a book at the library, I found some interesting information. The copyright date was old, but I was amazed by the history the book unfolded for me. Apparently the disease was seen in the Netherlands in the 1920s, and it was first detected in the United States in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1930. After searching through old records kept by custom officials, it was determined to have been brought into our country by elm burl logs that contained both the fungus and the European elm bark beetle, which spread the disease. DED is caused by a fungus that produces toxins which gum up water-conducting vessels in the trees. The European bark beetle, and even our own native bark beetles, breed in infected trees, and it is believed the fungus sticks to their backs. Then, they carry it to other trees. Between 1925 and 1934, 500 logs were shipped into the U.S. They arrived in four different seaports and were shipped by 16 railroads across 21 states - further spreading the disease (Rutherford Platt, 101 Questions Answered About Trees, 1959, Dover Publications Inc., Mineola, NY). This all makes sense to me because my tree-climbing days would have been in the late 1950s and early 1960s. We didn't have large tracts of elms in our area or railroads, and it would have taken longer for the disease to spread. It was truly a tragedy for our nation, but I've never given up hope to see the elms make a comeback.
Once you've recognized an elm tree, its shape is hard to miss from a distance. The books call it a "vase" shape with a "sinuous, short trunk bearing many sprouts and two to three big, spreading branches" (Alan Mitchell, Trees of North America, 1987, Collins & Brown, London). I think they just look like big broccoli sprouts! Back in the early 1980s, I remember seeing a few elms along the road on a trip to Canada. I was so excited! Now, I find myself searching the countryside for my little "broccoli sprout" trees. It might be my imagination, but I'm seeing them in lots of places - along Big Tree Road, Interstate 86 toward Salamanca, on Boyce Hill Road in Franklinville and, if I'm correct, right in Lakewood on Route 394. Let us hope!
Unfortunately, since most efforts to contain DED have failed, especially chemical ones, researchers now have focused on developing DED-tolerant/resistant elms. The new American trees are called "Valley Forge" and "New Harmony." There is also progress in multi-cloned varieties. Much work still needs to be done, and from the information I gleaned from the Internet, it might be years before these trees become commonplace in nurseries and garden centers. I just hope that I see a resurgence of the majestic elm in my lifetime. And maybe I'll give climbing one another try!
Susan M. Songster-Weaver is retired teacher, nature lover and longtime CWC volunteer and supporter. The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is a local not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the water quality, scenic beauty, and ecological health of the lakes, streams, wetlands and watersheds of the Chautauqua region. For more information, visit www.chautauquawatershed.org or call 664-2166.