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Index of Subjects In Halifax both American Elm and Scotch Elm are common, possibly others. American elm is highly susceptible to DED, Scotch apparently has some resistance. I think it is only a matter of time before most of the American elms go down. The restricted species diversity of NS forests and rising issues with both native pests (set off by climate change) and exotic pests in N.A. is a major reason in my not-professional-opinion for introducing more species from the south as our climate becomes suitable for them. Speaking of pests, Gary Saunders of McPhail Woods in PEI gave a wonderful presentation to the NS Wild Flora Society last week on "Restoring the Acadian Forest" in which he mentioned that an invasive pest is aggressively chewing down witherod (wild raisin) in PEI, something I think we should be on the lookout for in NS. I believe it is the Viburnum Leaf Beetle, http://www.gov.pe.ca/af/agweb/index.php3?number=74367&lang=f It has been sighted in Nova Scotia on domestic Vibrunums (2005), and possibly as early as 1924. http://www.hort.cornell.edu/vlb/csphoto.html http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18705014 http://www.entsoc.org/PDF/Pubs/Periodicals/AE/AE-2007/Summer/Weston.pdf - David Patriquin Quoting Dusan Soudek <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca>: > I've been following the debate triggered by G.L. Saunders' and > Nick Hill's recent opinion pieces in the Herald on the past and the > future of the Acadian Forest, and am somewhat surprised that the > American Elm, our most endangered native tree species, hasn't been > mentioned once. > This species once dominated the rich alluvial lands along the > lower courses of our rivers. These lands were extremely attractive > to early European settlers, and many were cleared for agriculture > centuries ago. The second blow to the American Elm was the arrival > of Dutch Elm Disease in the 20th century, which wiped out much of > the remnant population. > Yet one can still find an apparently healthy elm tree in the wild > (or the semi-wild) here and there. Are these rare individuals > healthy due to chance alone, i.e. their relative isolation from > infected conspecific individuals, or do they represent resistant > genotypes? > Elm habitat in our province is under-represented in our system of > protected areas, because much of it is being farmed, inhabited, or > simply isn't "wild" enough to be protected. There seems to be no > local effort to re-establish resistant > genotypes of American Elm into the Acadian Forest Region. > Paradoxically, elm trees are quite common on the streets of > Halifax. What species are they? Are any of them American Elm? > If so, what might be their provenance? > Dusan Soudek > > > >
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Index of Subjects