Huntingdon Elm timber added to "For Sale" pages

[Cutting Crew]

Hi All,

A large quantity of Huntingdon Elm timber has been added to the "For Sale" pages on Creative Woodturning.

It is believed this is the only stock left in the UK.

Click on the turn some wood link below and then the "For Sale" button.

Regards....Mike

 

[Dewy]

It annoys me the way the authorities allowed Dutch elm disease to spread when it could have been stopped when 1st diagnosed.
The elm bark beatle that spreads the disease is inactive during the winter then spreads at 5 miles a year during the summer months.
If all elms within a 6 mile radius of the dieing trees had been felled and burnt during the winter the beatles would have had nowhere to go and the outbreak would have stopped. Look in any hedgerow where elms used to be and you will find elm saplings growing from the original roots. They grow for 15 years til the disease hits them again.
As the disease is a fungus I am sure a fungicide could have been developed in the 30 years since the disease arrived that would target just this strain. Treating hedgerows known to have had elms in with such a fungicide would allow the new growth to mature properly.
At least they have found a species of elm that is resistant and intent introducing it here.
It's a pity our children and grandchildren may grow up seeing an American variety instead of our native elm.

 

[Midnight]

Dewy wrote

It's a pity our children and grandchildren may grow up seeing an American variety instead of our native elm.

I couldn't have said this better myself; it's always seemed perverse to me that preventative remedies are never executed in a timely fasion. I only hope that there's a different attitude taken towards the blight currently attacking southern oaks.

 

[Adam]

We're not completely lost our elms, Brighton is a Dutch Elm disease controlled area, I'd imagine the south downs provide a barrier, so we never got it, so they continue with preventative steps for us, even now.

Their are big signs warning you as you drive into town.

Adam

 

[Rattie]

Our two elms in the garden are on the way out, one is a total goner, the other is partially browned. Arborer coming back this week to work out whether to take that down too. It's sad really, they were nice trees.

We will see if the arborers will et us keep some of the wood, stripping the bark obviously. I thought it might be nice to sculpt something as a memorial, but we'll have to see.

I was shocked how quickly the disease took hold, but the trees are fairly close together, so I doubt theres much we could have done even if we'd seen the very first signs of the first tree going.

Hey ho, on the plus side, might be able to build a slightly larger workshop.

Martyn

 

[ike]

Treating hedgerows known to have had elms in with such a fungicide would allow the new growth to mature properly.

I really do empathise with you on the loss of elms, but does it justify comtaminating the environment with yet more chemicals? As if intensive modern farming practice isn't bad enough for our diminishing wildlife.

Ike

 

[Midnight]

does it justify comtaminating the environment with yet more chemicals?

That's an interesting question Ike.. which is worse, the blight or the remedy? Given the historical lack of remedy and the resultant consequences, I honestly wouldn't like to make that call. Still, my gut feeling is that simply doing nothing about it all this time was just plain wrong...

 

[Dewy]

It's nice that a few areas have so far missed the ravages of Dutch Elm Disease. I live in Gloucestershire in which every hedgerow was primarily elm saplings and mature trees. The disease arrived here in in about 1972. In March '73 I went abroad for 2½ years and when I got back mid '75 there were many thousands of dead elms which were slowly being felled.