Tom Zetterstrom initiated Elm Watch in 1999 to protect the Baldwin Hill Elm from the threat of Dutch elm disease, and launched a regional effort with Tim Abbott of The Nature Conservancy to “adopt” specimen elms in our tri-state region. Several of these elms remain on the landscape. National Arboretum research on disease resistant elm cultivars in 2001 prompted elm restoration nationally. Learn what elm cultivars performed well and how to reduce the risk of Dutch elm disease.

Tom Zetterstrom’s photographic record reveals a changing landscape impacted by species decline, alien plant invasion and forest collapse. In these talks he will describe projects in Connecticut and Massachusetts that have protected trees in natural and community forests. In 1999 he co-founded Elm Watch. Tom received the 2011 Public Awareness of Trees award from the national Arbor Day Foundation, and the 2013 Connecticut Urban forest Council’s meritorious service award for efforts “to educate and promote positive change regarding trees and plants.” He is recognized for his Portraits of America Trees exhibition and his photographs are in the collections of 43 museums nationally.