Decades before Freddy Krueger became a pop culture icon, a different kind of nightmare terrorized Elm Streets in North America.
In the 1920s, a lethal disease known as Dutch elm disease appeared in the United States. This fungal disease was first detected in the Netherlands and quickly spread to other countries.
Town officials tried to stop the spread of Dutch elm disease by burning trees and spraying DDT. When these interventions failed, all elms were removed and replaced by other trees.
Since its initial discovery, Dutch elm disease has killed hundreds of millions of elms. Interestingly, most accounts of this tragedy highlight the loss of elms from cities. Few accounts mention the impact of Dutch elm disease on wild trees.
Why is this the case? Aren’t wild elms affected by Dutch elm disease too? If they are, how does Dutch elm disease alter the ecology of forests?
In the following video, I visit several elms — including a massive American elm (Ulmus americana) — and address these important questions.