Development of New Dutch Elm Disease Tolerant Selections for Restoration of Urban and Forested Landscapes & Use of the American Elm as a Tool in Restoration Efforts

James M. Slavicek, Steven Eshita, Cornelia C. Pinchot, Kathleen S. Knight, Kelly L. Baggett, Bonita Baldwin, Robert Ford, Nancy Hayes-Plazolles, Mary Ellen Kelly, Stuart Mattix, Elizabeth Monarch

US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Delaware, OH American elm R & D Goals

1. Identify or generate additional genotypes of American elm with tolerance or resistance to DED through controlled breeding using known DED- tolerant selections, with each other and with survivor trees, and through screening of survivor trees for DED tolerance/resistance.

2. Restore the American elm as a species once sufficient genotypes have been generated/identified. Experimental elm restoration sites have been established for methods development and to serve as sentinel sites.

3. Development of restoration methods for landscapes degraded by: a) DED, EAB, and in anticipation of the EAB b) Invasive plants c) Cattle grazing Screening of DED survivor trees

• In collaboration with Dale Lesser, Michigan, and Cristian Marks, The Nature Conservancy, Northampton, Massachusetts.

• Survivor trees identified in the lower ½ of the lower peninsula of Michigan, the upper sections of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.

• Selections are clonally propagated by vegetative cuttings.

• Thirty three selections to date including: Peterson, Lawrence, Gran-River-Web, Nightingale, Dietz, I75/rte 6, Plymouth, van Lue North, Wing, Bellevue, Avon, Lake Odessa, Braun, Lesser, Sunfield , Stockbridge, Charlotte (plus two Ulmus rubra selections).

• In a new effort to identify survivor elms, a website was created for people to submit large elms. As of October 2014, 737 American elms >24” DBH were submitted on the survivor elm website Screening Survivor American Elms

Sam Burr Elm, Vermont Three Creeks Metro Park, Ohio Lesser Selections in Field Plots

Lapeer Elm, Michigan A New Effort to Identify Survivor American Elms, Kathleen Knight Jim Lootens-White generated a website where information on survivor trees can be submitted (http://nrs.fs.fed.us/SurvivorElms)

Map of Submitted American Elm Survivor Trees as of October 2014 Controlled Breeding Using Known DED Tolerant Selections Controlled breeding was carried out in the laboratory with cut branches and/or with field planted trees. The selections listed below have been used for crosses. Eight crosses have been made with known DED-tolerant selections, one cross of VF x 8630, twenty-one crosses with VF, 18-2, and Pr with survivor trees from the Chippewa National Forest, and thirty-four crosses were made with survivor trees from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont with VF, Del-2, R18-2, and Princeton. Survivor Known DED-Tolerant Trees/Chippewa Survivor Trees/MA, CT, NY, VT NF Princeton (Pr) Black Duck (BD) Hadley , Rainbow Bridge 1, Goff, Rainbow, Bridge 2, Ankram Field, Copake, Diner, Town Hall, Green River, Sam Burr, St. Croix Valley Forge (VF) SO 1 Seward’s Elm, Sunderland Library, West Springfield Floodplain, Williamsville, Windsor Floodplain, Windsor Library New Harmony (NH) SO 2 Ankramdale Woods, Appalachian Trail, Bennett Meadow, Copawonk, Duchess Delaware 2 (Del2) Walker (WR) Indian Lake, Pleasant Street, Leyden Woods, County Diesel, Great Barrington R18-2 Lime Rock, Northfield Main Street, Old Ferry Road, 8630 (elm yellows Riverdale, Sal’s, Scantic River, survivor) Collection of American Elm Pollen and Generation of Seed in the Laboratory and Field

Branches in Flasks Almost Mature Seed

Fully Opened Flowers Controlled Field Pollinations Germination and Growth of Progeny Trees

VF x WR seeds planted March 6-12, photograph taken March 20, 2008.

Photograph of the same trees taken May 7, Progeny trees a in a lath house, heights range from 2008. Height ~ 23 in. approximately 3-6 feet (July 23, 2008). Establishment of Elm Trees in a Field Plot and Challenge With Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi Results of DED Challenge of 1st Set of Crosses

Clone or Progeny % Foliar Symptoms % Crown Dieback % Crown Dieback 2 8-9 weeks pi 1 year pi years pi Valley Forge 21 bc 6 a 8 a

R18-2 4 a 10 a 11 a

Valley Forge x R18-2 19 b 16 b 17 b

Valley Forge x New Harmony 35 d 20 bc 17 b

R18-2 x New Harmony 28 c 23 c 20 b

Delaware 2 x New Harmony 41 d 30 d 29 c

Unselected Seedlings 52 e 46 e 44 d

Susceptible Control (NA57845) 79 f 58 f 60 e Cross Progeny Symptom Histograms

Valley Forge x R18-2 14 720 13 623 683 12 474 620 11 457 430 603 682 10 443 340 571 677 9 427 334 569 561 8 228 330 566 526 461 7 220 284 483 467 385 6 169 239 415 332 343 5 115 161 346 274 278 636

Number Number of Trees 4 99 141 342 159 259 532 3 83 107 303 128 203 478 493 395 2 65 53 275 72 154 257 431 381 1 7 16 144 33 56 114 35 36 656 386 400 375 0 <5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Percentage Crown Disease Symptoms

Susceptible Control 7 379 6 378 5 376 4 538 133 3 617 581 429 118 2 329 403 417 476 225 50 146 629 39 1 219 316 383 276 101 96 40 120 71 477 30

Number Number of Trees 0 <5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 Percentage Crown Disease Symptoms Cross Progeny Selections for a 2nd DED Challenge Test

% of trees with 0% % of trees with < Selections for a 2nd Cross Symptoms 5% Symptoms Clonal Test

Valley Forge x R18-2 15% 18% 6 selections

Valley Forge x New 7% 10% 3 selections Harmony

R18-2 x New 4% 6% 3 selections Harmony

Delaware 2 x New 8% 8% 3 selections Harmony Field Plots With Clonally Propagated 1st Cross Progeny Selections Valley Forge x Princeton Progeny from the 2nd Set of Crosses Progeny Trees from a Princeton x Valley Forge Cross

Princeton Valley Forge Pr x VF with Pr Shape

Pr x VF with VF Shape Pr x VF with Midway Shape Pr x VF with Midway Shape Controlled Breeding Using DED-Tolerant Selections and Local Survivor Trees • Goal: Restoration of the American Elm on the Chippewa National Forest through generation of DED-tolerant, cold- hardy, and site-adapted trees. • In Collaboration with Gary Swanson, Region 9, Chippewa NF and many others on the ranger districts. • The approach is to cross American elms with known DED- tolerant with survivor trees which may be DED-tolerant on the Chippewa National Forest.

Black Duck Ranger District Site, August 2010 Generation of Site Adapted and DED Tolerant American Elm Selections for Restoration of Bottomland Hardwood Ecosystems in the Connecticut River Valley

In Partnership with Christian Marks of The Nature Conservancy

Goals include:  Identify and test large American elm trees for tolerance to DED.

 Generation of DED-tolerant, site adapted trees through controlled breeding of local survivor trees and known DED-tolerant selections (34 selections x VF, R18- 2, Pr, Del-2 to date).

 Generation of an American elm seed orchard composed of DED-tolerant and site adapted trees.

 Establishment of 20 experimental American elm restoration sites in floodplains.

Cooperators: Rose Paul, TNC, Many volunteers, TNC Chapter Members Establishment and Monitoring of Experimental American Elm Restoration Sites

Goal: To restore the American elm to forested landscapes.

Approach: American elm tree strains with high levels of tolerance to Dutch elm disease were established in areas where the trees can naturally regenerate and spread. These are sentinel sites to assess threats beyond DED to successful restoration. The American elm Restoration Project is in collaboration with: ODNR, Division of Forestry Dan Balser Franklin County Metro Parks Andrew Boose The Wilds Nicole Cavender USFS State & Private Forestry Linda Haugen Army Corps of Engineers Randy Urich & John Sobiech Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Ctr John McPherson Luther College Rich Tenneson U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Tim Yager The City of Worthington, OH Scott Brown The Nature Conservancy Christian Marks Locations of Experimental American Elm Restoration Sites

Experimental Sites in Ohio

Maumee State Forest, ODNR

Mohican Memorial State Experimental Sites in the Upper Forest Mississippi Watershed Glacier Ridge Metro Park

The Wilds Carpenter St. Croix Valley Highbanks Metro Park Worthington City Park Nature Center, Hastings, MN

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Eagle Island, Stoddard Islands, WI

Roslein Woodlands, Luther College, Decorah, IA

Dago Slough, US F&WS, Cassville, WI Experimental Sites in New England States in Partnership with Christian Marks of The Nature Conservancy

12 sites have been established to date. Mohican Memorial State Forest Restoration Site in Ohio

June 2003

Pole – 22 feet tall Pole – 24 feet tall

June 2006 June 2010 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Eagle Island, Stoddard Islands, WI Established June 2005

June 2005 American Elm Seed Enriched for Trees With DED Tolerance for Use as a Tool to Restore Degraded Landscapes

2008 Photograph of the American Elm Seed Orchard, Delaware, Ohio American Elm Seedlings are Being Tested as Replacements of American Ash Species on Reclaimed Coal Land Sites - Beth Adams NRS

Planting of American elm and Other Tree Species at Cowan, WV, Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative

FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL

PHASE II REFORESTATION AREA (23 acres) Operational Trials of Progeny Trees from the Delaware, OH American Seed Orchard, Linda Haugen (FS NA)

Locations of Test Sites in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa

Locations of test sites in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa

In collaboration with Departments Of Natural Resources MN, WI, IA, and the ACoE A Test of Local vs. Delaware, OH Seed Orchard Trees

In collaboration with Linda Haugen (FS NA) and Paul Berrang (FS R9)

Objective: Compare American elm seedlings from unselected parents near the planting sites against American elm seedlings from a NRS seed orchard at Delaware, OH that consists of parents selected for tolerance to Dutch elm disease. The two groups will be compared for adaptation to local climate and tolerance to DED.

Cooperators: R9 – Paul Berrang Army Corps of Engineers – Randy Urich NA – Linda Haugen Oconto River Seed Orchard Wisconsin DNR Minnesota DNR Iowa DNR In Summary

Approximately 21,500 American elm trees have been planted to date. Underlined numbers represent trees that will be inoculated in 1-6 years.

Experimental restoration sites: 800 trees EAB-affected restoration site: 1400 Chippewa National Forest: 1000 Finger Lakes National Forest: 70 (to be expanded in 2015) Delaware, OH field plots: > 5600 (800 tested for DED tolerance) Operational trials: 5400 Enriched vs. local: 1360 The Nature Conservancy: 3200 Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative: 2000 Total of approximately 21,500 trees

77 different genotypes are present in Delaware, OH laboratory field plots