Dutch Elm Disease in Brighton and Hove

The cities of Brighton and Hove on England's South Coast hold the largest surviving population of mature English elm (Ulmus minor sensu lato) anywhere in the world. An estimated 15,000 to 17,000 mature elms remain in the conurbation as of the 2010s — preserved by a combination of geographic isolation, cool maritime climate, and a long-running municipal sanitation program. The collection is recognized as the National Elm Collection by Plant Heritage.

The elm population

Brighton and Hove's elm population includes specimens of multiple Ulmus species and varieties, with English elm (Ulmus minor) the dominant component. Some of the trees are old by surviving English elm standards — including a small number of specimens estimated at over 200 years old.

The Preston Twins, two ancient English elms in Preston Park, were among the world's oldest known English elm specimens until one of the pair succumbed to DED in 2019. The surviving twin remains a notable specimen.

The Royal Pavilion gardens and the open spaces of the South Downs Way contain additional notable elm groves.

Why Brighton and Hove survived

Three factors combined to preserve the city's elms during the catastrophic UK second wave of DED in the 1970s and 1980s:

  1. Geographic isolation: The city is bounded to the north by the South Downs (a chalk escarpment that historically restricted elm density and beetle migration) and to the south by the English Channel. Beetle populations from inland infected hedgerows have limited natural access.
  2. Cool maritime climate: Coastal South Coast climate moderates summer temperatures, reducing elm bark beetle reproductive success.
  3. Sustained municipal sanitation: Brighton and Hove City Council has operated an aggressive elm management program since the early 1970s, with rapid identification and removal of infected trees.

Management program

Brighton and Hove City Council's elm program operates with sustained municipal funding and includes:

  • Annual surveillance of every mature elm in the conurbation
  • Rapid removal of confirmed DED-infected trees, often within days of diagnosis
  • Strict controls on movement of elm wood within and into the city
  • Public reporting infrastructure for suspected cases
  • Coordinated replanting with both surviving Brighton elm stock and resistant cultivars

The program is widely cited as the most successful urban DED management effort in Europe.

National Elm Collection

The collection at Brighton and Hove was designated as the National Plant Collection of Ulmus by Plant Heritage (formerly the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens). The collection serves both as a living conservation resource for elm genetics and as a long-term management demonstration.

The Conservation Foundation has worked with the city to micropropagate disease-resistant clones derived from surviving Brighton specimens, which are distributed to other UK locations through the Great British Elm Experiment.

Current status and challenges

The program continues to lose a small number of trees annually. Recent challenges include:

  • Aging tree population (many specimens are reaching the end of their natural lifespan)
  • Increasing pressure from climate-related warming (longer beetle flight seasons)
  • The 2019 loss of one Preston Twin highlighting the continued vulnerability of ancient specimens
  • Funding pressures on municipal forestry budgets

The city continues to plant both surviving Brighton stock and disease-resistant cultivars to maintain canopy continuity.

Related pages

References

  • Brookes, A. (2010). "Dutch elm disease in Brighton & Hove." Quarterly Journal of Forestry, 104(1), 27–32.
  • Buggs, R. J. A. (2020). "The future of British elms." Plants, People, Planet, 2(2), 119–131.
  • Brighton & Hove City Council. Elm disease control programme publications.
  • Plant Heritage. National Plant Collection of Ulmus, Brighton & Hove.