The L.C. Chadwick award recognizes valuable contributions to the field of arboriculture. This is the second Morton Arboretum researcher to receive the award. Senior scientist Dr. Gary Watson was the recipient in 1993.

Dr. Ware and Kunso Kim, assistant director of collections at the Morton Arboretum, are currently keeping a dozen promising elm trees from China under observation. The species are the Bergmann (Ulmus bergmanniana), Taihang Mountain (U. taihangshanensis), Tibetan (U. microcarpa), Anhui (U. gaussenii), Hebei (U. lamellosa), Harbin (U. harbinensis), corkbark (U. propinqua var. suberosa), plum-leaved (U. prunifolia), Chenmou (Ulmus chenmoui), Gansu (Ulmus glaucescens var. lasiocarpa), chestnut-leaved (U. castaneifolia) and Father David (U. davidiana var. mandshurica) elms.

These 12 Chinese species are virtually unknown in the U.S. The Morton is home to the largest elm collection in the U.S., and grows nearly all of the 22 known Chinese elm species. Observation of the 12 elm species is important because of the diseases affecting trees across the U.S., such as Dutch elm disease, elm yellows, oak wilt, emerald ash borer, and others.

“These and other problems underscore the urgent need to continue seeking new species for urban use,” Mr. Kim says.

Dr. Ware is especially focused on the Anhui elm, because it thrives in stream-side habitats.

“We are always interested in trees that grow around streams and in floodplains because they tolerate low oxygen levels in the soil. That’s something trees have to confront in urban areas where soil is compacted and frequently, less oxygen reaches the roots,” Dr. Ware explains.