Over 50 Elms Inoculated This Spring

Everything seems to be blooming early this year, including lilacs (did anyone else’s rhubarb bolt before they managed to harvest?). It was a delightful surprise to stroll down the street with their floral scent wafting through the late-May breeze, but for Woodpecker Tree Care that meant it was time to spring into action. When the lilacs are blooming, it’s time for us to cruise around the countryside and inoculate valuable Maritime elm trees.

Meg and Rory at the base of an elm.

Woodshed Wonder 03: Codominant Elm

Woodpecker HQ is thrilled to encounter an elm log in the woodshed, but not everyone is as enthusiastic about burning elm. Elms hold moisture for a long time, and need to dry out in the right conditions before being thrown in the stove. It’s also more difficult to split with an axe, since its fibers interlock and resist being pulled apart. Thankfully, the Woodpeckers have access to a hydraulic log splitter that makes short work of a stubborn elm.

This log was about to go onto the fire when Kevin noticed some giveaway signs of one of the most common problems we see in urban trees.

The underside of an elm log.

Adopt an Elm: Heritage Minudie Elms in Need

Looking forward to spring? The Woodpeckers who run the Maritime Elm Protection Initiative (MEPI) are too. Spring is when we load up our injectors and inoculate valuable elms against Dutch Elm Disease. As we go into our third year, we are actively looking for sponsors to help cover the costs of this project. We want to give you a chance to meet elms in need, and invite you to consider sponsoring the treatment of valuable Maritime elms.

Three American Elm trees stand in a field.

Elm wood transformed into medieval longbows

Woodpecker Tree Care is all about preservation, but when we do have to cut a tree down we do our best to repurpose the wood (if it’s good quality). Sometimes the property owner is delighted to keep it for their furnace or share it with their neighbours, or John will happily take it home for his beloved wood stove and fire pit. One of the more interesting places our wood has ended up is in Jake Fenwick’s workshop, a local homesteader and bowyer (bow-maker) in Sackville NB. 

Jake Fenwick works on a bow.

Disease-resistant “Accolade” elm finds new home in Wood Point

John optimistically purchased this Ulmus “Morton” elm hybrid, more commonly known as an “Accolade” elm, from Charlie the Tree Guy this fall. The Accolade cultivar was originally planted in 1924 at the famous Morton Arboretum (Lisle, Illinois). In 2005, the Accolade was studied alongside several cultivars in the US National Elm Trial, which determined the survival rate among elms. At the time, elm trees were dying off by tens of millions due to Dutch Elm Disease (DED) and other pests. Accolade came out as one of the top hybrid cultivars, with a 92.5% survival rate.

John Haney holds up a tag attached to an Accolade elm sapling and smiles.

MEPI Sponsors Appreciation

S. Hall Tire, Muffler, & Auto Repair Centre is one of the local businesses keeping elm trees alive and well in the Maritimes. Owner and operator Scott Hall was aware of Dutch Elm Disease and how it was killing beautiful elm trees across the Atlantic Provinces, but wasn’t sure what he could do to help the trees from dying off. After learning that Woodpecker Tree Care heads the Maritime Elm Protection Initiative, he felt the need to take action. 

“The Dutch Elm Disease problem has moved into our area, infecting and killing these beautiful trees. I decided to sponsor two trees as I feel it’s a worthy cause and it needs to happen. If nobody gets involved, all will be lost.” 

Scott Hall stands with his hands folded in front of him and smiles. There are cars in the background.