WINDHAM – Thanks to the vision of one of its members, the Windham High School class of 1962 recently planted four American elm trees in Windham Center.

The group’s choice of elm, the Valley Forge variety, is resistant to Dutch Elm Disease, which decades ago wiped out nearly all the tall shade elms in the area.

The 10-foot-tall elms were planted last month. Two were planted at Windham High School. One is located at the town hall and another was planted in the front of the Windham Historical Society headquarters on Windham Center Road.

The group was motivated to take up the effort inspired by their classmate Julie Moore. Moore suggested the idea of reintroducing elm trees in Windham at the class’s 50th reunion celebration in August. The group was able to collect more than $300 at the event, which they spent in September on the purchase of the four elms.

Helping Moore were three former classmates, Dianne Loring, Jeanie Pierce and Bruce Elder.

“I’ve sort of been on a mission for a few years to get elm trees back in town,” Moore said. “It’s part of our history. Our forefathers planted them for a reason. And I think because they’ve been gone so long, there’s a whole generation that doesn’t even know about them or care about them. So before we’re gone, we wanted to start planting some.”

Elder, who laments the removal this summer of three tall elms to make way for a temporary bridge near the Cumberland Mills Dam in Westbrook, said elms in Windham were at one time prevalent, especially along roadways since the tall trees provided a soaring shade canopy.

“The thing is, when we were young the roads were lined with elm trees. And they were impressive, and then gradually Dutch Elm took them all, so it really changed the landscape quite a lot,” Elder said.

Jeanie Pierce also remembers when Main Street in South Windham and Little Falls was lined with elms.

The group, which thanks the town of Windham for physically planting the trees, is hoping their efforts spread like wildfire, lighting a spark that sees area residents plant elms as well. But they’re also realistic knowing it will be a while before the trees grow to the size they remember from their childhood.

“To quote Nelson Henderson, who said, ‘The true meaning of life is to plant trees in whose shade you do not expect to sit.’ That pertains to a lot of things in life, but it definitely pertains to us and these trees,” Moore said. “So hopefully somebody will get enjoyment from them in future years.”

“Yes, hopefully future generations will enjoy them the way we did when we were young,” Elder added.

Members of the Windham High School class of 1962, from left, Bruce Elder, Julie Moore, Dianne Loring and Jeanie Pierce spearheaded efforts to plant four elm trees in Windham Center recently.