Restoring the American Chestnut
fitting place to participate in efforts to reintroduce the American chestnut. That little tree looked a bit wind battered, and of course was naturally nearly defoliated at this time of the year, but it was most definitely still alive inside its protective wire and burlap cage. It is a backcross with the Chinese Chestnut. I do hope success comes soon.
I suppose there is a bit of a question as to the strict authenticity of introducing a tree into the wild that is technically not an American chestnut but is instead a cross between the American chestnut and another altogether different, exotic chestnut. I suppose too there is a question as to the wisdom of trying to circumvent nature's original path of eradicating the tree through disease. I suppose there are many such questions in botany and horticulture, in crop science and in our scientific advances through genetic engineering and the like. I do not have a black and white straight answer for you there.
This is one of slow moving yet exciting projects where tree planters invest in the future, proving once again that despite all of our modern efforts, tools and science, nature still takes its own course in its own time. So we wait to see how they will grow out over the decades to come, perhaps our children's children will see this very tree? Perhaps today's work will eventually reveal the secret to developing full blooded American chestnuts that are reliably blight proof. One might hope.
Volunteers are scouting existing trees and planting new ones in many regions and would welcome your help or support for their efforts. Maybe there is an organization at work (or in the formative stages) near you.
American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation (ACCF)
The American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation
2667 Forest Service Road 708
Newport, VA 24128
American Chestnut Foundation (ACF)
The American Chestnut Foundation
469 Main Street, PO Box 4044
Bennington, VT 05201-4044
(802) 447-0110
Individual ACF Chapters:
Charlie Chestnut, an educational program for schoolchildren
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