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UHI Inverness set to play a vital role in battle against Dutch elm disease


By Neil MacPhail

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Dr Euan Bowditch (left) receiving the trophy from Simon MacGillivray.
Dr Euan Bowditch (left) receiving the trophy from Simon MacGillivray.

AN award-winning article by an academic at UHI Inverness on original research into Dutch elm disease has prompted plans for a collaboration with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to protect and restore elm tree populations.

Dr Euan Bowditch, a lecturer at the Scottish School of Forestry and a researcher based at Inverness Campus, was the lead author of the paper “The elm is dead! Long live the elm! New developments for elm conservation in Scotland”.

Co-author was Elspeth MacDonald, a former Scottish School of Forestry lecturer. The paper was published in Scottish Forestry, the journal of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society (RSFS).

It was awarded the Sir George Campbell Memorial Trophy for the best professional paper published in the journal in 2021. An independent panel of three judges described it as being of “international importance”.

The prize was presented to Dr Bowditch by RSFS president Simon MacGillivray.

The article discusses the status of Dutch elm disease in Scotland and the recent foothold of the disease in the Highlands. It draws on a wide variety of research techniques to provide new information on the current state of Scottish elms and suggests strategies for future conservation.

Elms across the world have been ravaged by Dutch elm disease, but resistance is thought to exist as healthy trees continue to survive next to infected trees and woodlands, which could form the base of future resilience.

Dr Bowditch said: “The paper asks if there are any healthy elm populations still thriving, where the biggest impact of Dutch elm disease is, and where the disease is going, because it is obviously still travelling across the Highlands.

“It suggests looking at surviving and healthy individuals that are in hard-hit areas further south, spreading Dutch elm disease since the 1960s, and identifying those individuals and looking at ways that we can introduce resilience and restore elm to the landscape.”

Dr Bowditch added: “The upshot of the paper is connecting with other organisations that have an interest in building the knowledge around elm and Dutch elm disease, which has led to the formation of a ‘native elm group’ that is committed to collaborating on short and long-term efforts to restore the elm.

“This can lead to collaborations with organisations such as the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which will increase capacity to undertake larger scale projects on resilient elms, genetics work and restoration strategies.”


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