Restoring The American Chestnut Tree

Restoring The American Chestnut Tree. . , The magnificent American chestnut tree (Castanea dentata) once covered approximately 180 million acres of the eastern United States., The tree, being an excellent source of straight-grained, rot resistant, durable lumber, was known as the "cradle to grave" tree, as it was used to build a host of everyday items, some of which are still in use today., "Chestnutting," or gathering chestnuts, was both a social activity and provided income throughout the Appalachians, from Maine to Mississippi, particularly in rural communities. Chestnuts were a primary food source for wildlife and livestock, and were a staple for people as well. Chestnuts were a common ingredient in many different recipes, and roasted chestnuts were often sold by street vendors., In the late 1800s, Cryphonectria parasitica, the fungal pathogen that causes chestnut blight, arrived from Asia. By 1950 it killed an estimated 4 billion trees., The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) combines three promising methodologies, which together can restore this species under our 3BUR concept - Breeding, Biocontrol and Biotechnology United for Restoration., The one hundred or so chestnut trees before you are growing in a Germplasm Conservation Orchard, the purpose of which is to preserve the genetic diversity of wild surviving northern New England chestnut trees., These trees were started from nuts collected from about 25 different 'mother' trees growing wild in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. When these trees reach reproductive maturity they will be used to help diversify the genetic base of TACF's American chestnut restoration efforts., For more information, or to volunteer to help, please visit The American Chestnut Foundation at acf.org or contact Doug McLane at [email protected].