The project is a great example of partnership in action, with many people working together to restore Scotland's natural landscapes.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and its Scottish Plant Recovery team, together with landowners and volunteers, is creatively tackling the challenges faced by some of our beloved and characterful tree species, wych elm (Ulmus glabra) and wild apple (Malus sylvestris).

Wych elm has been heavily affected by Dutch elm disease, In Scotland since the 1970s. The disease keeps creeping up North, helped by climate change and carried by elm bark beetles. Almost all mature elms have been lost in areas where waves of disease have raged. To help wych elm recover we have been working with a handful of trees that show disease resistance. Only about 1% of trees exhibits such natural resistance. These are most obvious in the South of Scotland where the disease has been active for over 50 years. These survivor trees have been cross-bread (by controlled hand pollination) to create a more disease resistant new generation.

Meanwhile, the wild apple, also known as crab apple, is threatened by hybridization with cultivated apples. This species is one of our crop-wild relatives and maintaining the genetic origin of wild trees can be vital for food security. The project addresses this by sourcing seeds from wild trees (certified by genetic testing), which are only surrounded by other wild trees. This ensures that no cultivated apple pollen has mixed in with the wild apple gene and allows to establish genetically truly wild trees.

In partnership with many collaborators, including Glenlochay estate,and other  landowners already championing nature restoration, conservation charities, nature organisations, and local groups the team has successfully planted over 5,500 trees of both species into 20 sites across Scotland.  Planting sites extend from the Borders to Caithness and from Skye to the Cairngorms, a healthy geographical span.

All plantings are strategically designed as experiments tailored to each species, allowing us to gain insights from both successes and setbacks. Each planted tree is uniquely labelled to record its provenance and systematically tracked using GPS for long-term monitoring. This level of detail in experimental design ensures high quality data that will be used to refine future conservation efforts.