Boston Flora

Tag: Dutch Elm disease

  • Saturday, October 2, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm – History and Preservation of the American Elm in New England

    Tom Zetterstrom initiated Elm Watch in 1999 to protect the Baldwin Hill Elm from the threat of Dutch elm disease, and launched a regional effort with Tim Abbott of The Nature Conservancy to “adopt” specimen elms in our tri-state region. Several of these elms remain on the landscape. National Arboretum research on disease resistant elm cultivars in 2001 prompted elm restoration nationally. Learn what elm cultivars performed well and how to reduce the risk of Dutch elm disease.

    Tom Zetterstrom’s photographic record reveals a changing landscape impacted by species decline, alien plant invasion and forest collapse. In these talks he will describe projects in Connecticut and Massachusetts that have protected trees in natural and community forests. In 1999 he co-founded Elm Watch. Tom received the 2011 Public Awareness of Trees award from the national Arbor Day Foundation, and the 2013 Connecticut Urban forest Council’s meritorious service award for efforts “to educate and promote positive change regarding trees and plants.” He is recognized for his Portraits of America Trees exhibition and his photographs are in the collections of 43 museums nationally.

    This Berkshire Botanical Garden talk will be held October 2 at 3:30 pm at the Garden. BBG members $10, nonmembers $15. Advanced registration requested at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/history-and-preservation-american-elm-new-england

  • Replacement Elm Trees Available for Purchase

    Elm Research Institute, Keene, New Hampshire offers Grow-to-Order Elm trees for delivery in the fall of 2019. The 12-foot, 2-inch caliper Liberty Elms sell for $50 (price locked in for the next three years) and come with a lifetime warranty against Dutch elm disease. Elm Research Institute, a non-profit organization, was established in 1967 to rally support from the private sector for D.E.D. research. Through grants and membership dues, ERI research led to the development of a preventive injection for American elms and the introduction of the disease-resistant AMERICAN LIBERTY ELM. For complete information visit http://www.libertytreesociety.org/replacement.html or call 603-358-6198.  Image from www.elmpost.org.

  • Garden Club of the Back Bay Announces 2015 Grants

    At the Annual Meeting of The Garden Club of the Back Bay, held May 11 at The College Club of Boston, the membership voted to approve the following recommendations of the Executive Committee.  Co-Presidents Jackie Blombach and Jolinda Taylor were pleased to announce that, in addition to $20,000 to be spent directly by our Club for Back Bay tree care (primarily pruning and inoculation), other not-for-profit organizations will benefit from our fund raising efforts throughout the year, primarily our Twilight Garden Party and Holiday Wreath Sale.

    $5,000 to the Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee for its tree care program, Dutch elm disease monitoring, and soil improvement.

    $5,000 to the Friends of the Public Garden for inoculation against Dutch elm disease for certain Belgium elm street trees not located on the Mall, planted beyond Massachusetts Avenue.

    $4,000 to The Esplanade Association for its tree care program and planning, including updating inventory and data manipulation.

    $3,000 to the Boston Nature Center of the Massachusetts Audubon Society to support scholarships for summer camp for children ages 5 – 14 from local neighborhoods of Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain.

    $3,000 to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy for the planting of perennials in the Fenway.

    $2,000 to the Charles River Cleanup Boat for general operating expenses.

    $2,000 to the Trustees of Reservations/Boston Natural Areas Network in support of the MBTA Indigo Line/Fairmount Indigo Line Project, which will convert City-owned vacant lots along the rail corridor into parks and gardens.  This donation will help convert a vacant lot at Windermere Road in Uphams Corner.

    $1,500 to the Friends of Copley Square for treating trees with fertilizer and fungicide for root stress.

    $1,000 to the Blossom Fund of the Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America in recognition of its 25th Anniversary.

    We thank all our contributors and patrons whose generosity allows us to make these grants.  We hope to see many of you at this year’s Twilight Garden Party on June 4.

  • Friday, August 31 – Sunday, September 30 – Echoes of the Olmsted Elm: Works from RISD’s 2011 Witness Tree Project

    The Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, in collaboration with the Rhode Island School of Design’s Witness Tree Project and the Friends of Fairsted, is pleased to present an exhibit of artworks produced from the wood of the historic Olmsted Elm that graced the landscape at 99 Warren Street, Brookline, Massachusetts until March 2011, when it succumbed to old age, a serious fungal infection, and exposure in recent years to Dutch elm disease. Echoes of the Olmsted Elm: Works from RISD’s 2011 Witness Tree Project will take place in the rehabilitated barn at Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline from Friday, August 31 through Sunday, September 30. The exhibit will be open to walk-in visitors on Thursday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The regular on-site tours taking place Wednesday through Sunday will also make stops at the exhibit. Finally, a special opening reception for the public will be held the evening of September 14. For further information, please call 617-566-1689 or visit, www.nps.gov/frla starting in mid-August.

  • Garden Club of the Back Bay Holiday Wreaths – Saving the Elms

    One mission of The Garden Club of the Back Bay is to beautify the neighborhood, and one historic aspect of the neighborhood is its majestic elms.  As we know, the elm tree population has been decimated by Dutch elm disease, a fungal disease spread by the elm bark beetle.  For many years, the Garden Club has helped fund the inoculation of elm trees, through grants to The Friends of the Public Garden.  This is not inexpensive.  A single application cost between $200 – $300 in the 1980’s.  Thirty years of inflation, naturally, has taken the price, depending on the size of the tree, to the $1,000 range.  In 2009, we gave $4,000 to inoculate trees between Massachusetts Avenue and Charlesgate East.

    Without our fund raising efforts, including the Holiday Wreath project, this financial assistance would not be available.  Please remember the elms as you decide to purchase one of our exquisite wreaths or our full, extra large poinsettia plants.  To order, click here.

  • BostonZest

    Our Back Bay friend Penny Cherubino writes and maintains one of the best websites in Boston, www.bostonzest.com.  For those of you unfamiliar with this treasure, log on right now (and I mean right now) and add it to your favorites list.  The June 1 blog shows a photograph of an elm on the corner of Commonwealth and Massachusetts Avenue suffering from Dutch Elm disease.  Penny has a number of enthusiasms – dogs, gardens, farmer’s markets, living well (sustainably), and you will find so much valuable information here on people and events that you’ll wonder how you did without the source.  Beautiful photographs, book recommendations, current affairs, music – there is something here for everyone.  Brava, Penny!