Deadly Disease Threatens Park Trees


June 9, 2009

     You don't normally think of trees as being susceptible to deadly illnesses, but with summer comes Dutch Elm disease, a highly contagious fungus that spreads among elm trees. The elms in Central park are not immune to this deadly disease.

     The Dutch Elm fungus attacks a tree's vascular system and kills its xylem cells, interrupting the movement of water throughout the tree. Affected trees wilt and die if they aren't diagnosed and treated immediately. If a tree has succumbed to the disease, it's necessary to remove it in order to prevent other nearby elms from meeting the same fate. This summer in Central Park, the Central Park Conservancy has removed nine of the 17 trees that were affected.
 
     Recently, two 70-year old trees in the northeastern corner of the reservoir were lost to Dutch Elm Disease. These trees had a rich history in the Park and have shaded the running path for at least 50 of their 70 years. The devastating loss of these magnificent trees has changed the very landscape of that section of the Park. At particular risk are the majestic elms that line the Mall at the heart of Central Park. The oldest living stand of elms in the United States, these trees must be monitored and checked for the disease regularly.

     Fighting this disease is challenging and costly. The Central Park Conservancy tree crew dedicates an extensive amount of time in the summer to the daily monitoring and sanitation pruning of all the Park's elms. An expensive fungicide must be injected into the trunks of diseased trees in order to protect them. But when a tree is overcome, it must be removed as soon as possible to prevent further spread of the disease. In the first two weeks of summer alone, the Conservancy invested approximately $24,000 on removal and injections to preserve the Park's elms, trees that play a vital role in the legacy of Central Park.
 
     The Central Park Conservancy is actively fighting Dutch Elm disease and working to make sure the elms of Central Park are here for future generations, and we need your help.

     Support us in our continuing effort to fight Dutch Elm disease and save these valuable trees.