LEBANON, Pa. — The City of Lebanon is working to preserve a centuries-old American Elm tree that is believed to be one of the few remaining members of its species in the region and the only one left in city limits.
The tree, located on a grassy island on the 500 block Chestnut Street known locally as "Park Place," dates back more than 300 years, the city said. It stands about 70 feet tall and 80 feet wide.
American Elm trees were once a symbol of our national independence and were a popular shade trees across the nation until the 1970s, when much of the tree population was decimated by Dutch Elm disease, a fungus that blocks water movement and kills the leaves and branches of infected trees. American Elm trees are also prone to co-dominant stems, a structural defect that can result in splitting.
Lebanon's American Elm tree survived the loss of a large branch in 2018, the city said.
Next week, the city said, a Harrisburg-based tree preservation company will begin work to maintain the tree. Good's Tree and Lawn Care will inject the American Elm with a fungicide designed to halt Dutch Elm Disease and begin pruning work to remove deadwood and lessen the chance of structural failure.
Workers may also install a cable system to further reinforce the tree later this year, the city said.
"The City of Lebanon is fortunate to be working with an ISA Board-certified Master Arborist to preserve a significant tree in our history," Lebanon mayor Sherry Capello said in a press release. "It is critical that we respect our natural environment and take responsibility for preservation of our natural resources and history."
