Planting elm trees

BRITISH Waterways is planting 100 elm trees by its canals, starting this week, it says as 'lock gates of the future'.

These are also being planted 'to enhance the nation's natural waterside heritage'.

Traditional material

The timber from elm  withstands wet conditions very well, making it the traditional material for making lock gates and cills.

However the elm is subject to disease, with an estimated 90% of them being wiped out in a decade by Dutch elm disease, which is spread by the elm bark beetle.

The saplings have come from the Conservation Foundation, with cuttings from mature parent elms found growing in the British countryside, which appear to have resisted Dutch elm disease. The saplings will be planted by volunteers working alongside British Waterways' environment team.

Natural selection

Dr Mark Robinson, British Waterways' Ecologist, explains:

"The survival of some of the UK's native elms is a good example of natural selection in action. By propagating and replanting those that have survived, we can start to bring back this majestic tree, the English elm to our country.

"Elms are an important habitat for hundreds of lichen and invertebrate species, including the rare white-letter hairstreak butterfly. Elm wood is also particularly good at resisting water and was traditionally popular for boat building, barge hulls, bridge foundations, cartwheels and even the first urban water pipes."