Bruce Carley has planted both American Liberty elms and Valley Forge elms at various places in the Acton Arboretum. Most of the trees were purchased from nurseries as 8 inch "liners" and raised until they were about 5 feet tall, before they were transplanted to their permanent locations.

Presently the arboretum contains 5 Valley Forge elms which are all 4 years old as of the spring of 2000, and American Liberty elms which vary in age from 5 to 9 years. The oldest American Liberty elm is now over 20 feet tall. The photograph shown here is of a Valley Forge elm which is 4 years old and about 9-10 feet tall. (It is difficult even for an expert to distinguish a Valley Forge elm from an American Liberty elm, once a tree has reached this stage in its growth.) The precise locations of the elms in the Acton Arboretum have not yet been made public, although this will probably happen in the near future.

Of the roughly two dozen elms Bruce Carley has planted in Acton's other conservation areas, about half are very young Valley Forge saplings planted within the last year. The rest are American Liberty elms which were planted from 1997-1999.

One of the areas which contains an American Liberty elm is the Nashoba Brook Conservation Area - one of the largest parcels of protected land in Acton. A trail system runs throughout the property and boardwalks have been constructed in certain critical areas such as a red maple swamp. A brook runs through the length of the land parcel and imparts a tranquil feel to the area.

While much of the land in this conservation area is solid forest, there are two cleared areas where elm plantings have been possible. Bruce Carley is shown here beside the American Liberty elm which he planted in one of these areas. The tree has proved to be a fast grower since it is presently only 5 years old, but is about 13 feet in height.

Like the Acton Arboretum, the various conservation areas are open to be public.