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The Large Tree Argument: The Case for Large-Stature Trees vs. Small-Stature Trees

Large stately ELlm trees once graced many communities throughout the US. But now they are gone.
Center for Urban Forest Research. Southern Center for Urban Forestry Research and Information. Photo by 2004 Matton Images.

The Large Tree Argument

Why Do We Like Elm Trees So Much?

Large stately Elm trees once graced many communities throughout the US. But now they are gone. Why were entire communities so disappointed when they lost their Elm trees to Dutch Elm disease several decades ago?

People had a sense that these large trees were important to them, their family, and their community. And this was long before we quantified the benefits of trees. Now we have scientific evidence for what these people knew decades ago.

Excerpt from 1870 Appleton's Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 42.

To read the full document, please open or download the PDF on the right-hand side under the main article photo.

About the author

The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, established in 1905. Its mission is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the forests, meadows and grasslands in the U.S. in order to meet the needs of present and future generations.

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