Researchers test whether new elms can resist Dutch elm disease

Scientists in Vermont are testing whether a new generation of elm trees can withstand Dutch elm disease, a fungal infection that has damaged elm populations across North America for decades. The project involves deliberately infecting thousands of young trees to see which ones survive. The research is part of a broader effort in the U.S. and Canada to restore elms to cities and riverbanks where they were once common. In Canada, the disease has already changed urban forests in places such as Fredericton, Edmonton, and Saskatoon, where infected trees are removed quickly to slow the spread. Researchers say breeding from trees that survived earlier outbreaks could help build longerlasting resistance over time. If the experiments succeed, elms may again become a more reliable part of city landscapes, offering shade, stormwater absorption, and broader ecological benefits.