‘There’s very soon going to be none left’: Disease wipes out elm trees across Aberdeen

Scores have been felled in a losing battle to prevent Dutch elm disease spreading.

By Ben Hendry

April 1 2024, 11:45 am

Aberdeen elm trees have been devastated by disease. Workers are seen here removing infected specimens on Osborne Place. Image: Scott Baxter/DC Thomson

Aberdeen will soon have no elm trees left, with years of felling unable to prevent disease from spreading.

The council’s environmental manager Steven Shaw issued the stark revelation during talks on the city’s fight against climate change.

He warned that “there’s very soon going to be none left”.

Tree Surgeons felling a dangerous elm tree on Willowbank Road. Image: Simon Walton/DC Thomson

A nightmare for elm trees: How disease ravaged Aberdeen population

Aberdeen’s connection with elm trees goes back centuries.

Scores of the species were planted hundreds of years ago around what is now Seaton Park, and various streets in nearby areas are named after the trees.

Street sign for Elmbank Terrace. — Elmbank Terrace is just one street name that hints at Aberdeen’s historic links with the species. Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson

About a decade ago, Aberdeen was said to have “possibly the largest remaining population of elms in Northern Europe” yet to succumb to the disease.

But in 2018, the council toppled several historic trees on Osborne Place in the west end.

Residents were dismayed to lose the golden English elms which had lined the west end street for generations.

Decades-old elm trees on Osborne Place in Aberdeen being taken down. Image: Scott Baxter/DC Thomson

There was even a plaque on the stretch noting the significance of the trees, described as “very rare nationally” due to the disease.

But the local authority explained it had no choice but to chop them down, as it was “important not to let it spread”.

The following year more were hacked to the ground, with 400 Aberdeen elm trees said to be diseased or dying.

Worker using chainsaw to cut tree in Aberdeen. — The battle against the spread of the disease seems to have been lost. Image: Aberdeen City Council

‘It’s just going through our elms’

During the recent talks, Mr Shaw confirmed that since then things had become much worse.

He said: “We are losing trees through disease, Dutch elm in particular is just going through all our elms.

“There’s very soon going to be none left. One or two will survive but the rest will have to come down.”

Dutch elm disease is known as one of the “most serious” of its kind in the world.

It is spread by bark beetles, and affects all of the UK’s native elms.

Last year what is thought to have been the world’s oldest elm tree, at Beauly Priory, was toppled after falling victim to the disease.

Disease and storm damage destroying Aberdeen trees

The update came as councillors were told that only now is the authority clearing the last of the thousands of trees damaged by Storm Arwen, which hit the north-east in November 2021.

However, those remaining are now feared to be more exposed to the elements in the event of future storms.

All of the trees cut down will be replaced with native woodland planting.