One of the most important habitats for elms in the UK is along the Sussex coast, where long-running management programmes for Dutch Elm Disease have kept thousands of old elms alive. The location of Sussex, on the English Channel, results in cold winds from the sea making it a difficult area for the elm bark beetle to reach. East Sussex has the largest population of elms in the United Kingdom that have survived Dutch Elm Disease.

A trial using DutchTrig® for elms in East Sussex

The permit issued for the use of DutchTrig® was welcomed with enthusiasm by The Conservation Foundation which has already devoted years to the protection of the elm in various projects. Although there are existing large scale protection projects, unfortunately these are curative instead of preventive. With the availability of DutchTrig® in the United Kingdom a new chapter in elm protection has begun.