The American Chestnut's fight for survival

Type: Interesting

Description:
While hiking on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park I am confronted with fight of the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) for survival. The chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) destroyed forty billion trees that had towered over eastern forests for 40 million years in a mere forty years. The tree, while 'functionally' extinct continues to sprout from root stocks that maybe over a hundred or more years old. Walk with me through the Appalachian forest as I show you how to recognize these trees that sprout up but are killed by the blight before they can reproduce. I explain the history of this tree and how its loss caused a profound impact on the peoples of the Appalachians. I conclude with a visit to the largest native chestnut tree I have ever seen in my life that is actually a few hundred yards from my home. I end with a discussion of the 3 prongs of research that are moving toward restoring this iconic tree to its original range.

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Video length: 12:55