American Chestnut Tree

[dblari]

The American Chestnut tree was once common in the Appalachian region. It was decimated by a blight in the early 20th century. Efforts are being made to resurrect the tree, and REI in Maryland is offering classes on the subject. The classes are being held at 7:00 PM in the Rockville store on 3/5/08 and the College Park store on 3/11/08. The class is free, and no registration is required.

[take-a-knee]

Chestnut trees in Georgia near the Pine Mountain Trail:

http://www.treeclimbercoalition.org/...?articleid=131

[shelterbuilder]

If you ever get up to Pa., check out the section of the AT between the Hamburg Reservior and Pocahontas Spring - hundreds, maybe thousands of American Chestnut trees. The older ones are blighting (again), but they keep on trying to grow. One of these days, one of these trees is going to throw a blight-resistant burr...at least, I hope so.

[burger]

Several groups have been breeding blight-resistant chestnuts by crossing American chestnuts with their Asian cousins. They have some blight-resistant varieties nearly ready to go, and large-scale planting is supposed to start happening within a few years. Maybe 50 or 100 years from now people hiking the AT will be able to see healthy chestnut trees growing along the trail again.

If you're really interested in the chestnut, you should read this book--it's an interesting story, and unlike most books about the environment, it has a mostly happy ending.

[take-a-knee]

Yeah, chestnut trees and elk along the AT.

[shelterbuilder]

Several groups have been breeding blight-resistant chestnuts by crossing American chestnuts with their Asian cousins. They have some blight-resistant varieties nearly ready to go, and large-scale planting is supposed to start happening within a few years. Maybe 50 or 100 years from now people hiking the AT will be able to see healthy chestnut trees growing along the trail again.

If you're really interested in the chestnut, you should read this book--it's an interesting story, and unlike most books about the environment, it has a mostly happy ending.

I read last Fall that there is curently a very large-scale project going on in the Lancaster County, Pa. area involving American Chestnuts - the larger part of the project involves collecting viable seeds from all over the country and growing them in the same plot for crossing different strains of the American Chestnut. Details are fuzzy now, though, but folks are trying to bring back this majestic tree...hope they succeed.

[burger]

Yeah, chestnut trees and elk along the AT.

Why stop there? How about wolves, bison, and mountain lions, too? That would make for a more exciting hike!

[Lauriep]

The American Chestnut Foundation is using the A.T. to promote awareness of the American Chestnut this year for the organization's 25th anniversary. They are partnering with ATC and PATC on various projects and events. Look for an ACF booth at Trail Days and other events along the A.T. this year. There's more info on our website at www.appalachiantrail.org (look for a link on the front page).

Laurie Potteiger
ATC

[Dances with Mice]

Why stop there? How about wolves, bison, and mountain lions, too? That would make for a more exciting hike!

Re-establishing wolves and big cats are an environmentalist's dream but I don't think bison are native to the Appalachians. There is the city of Buffalo, NY but it's not named after the big praire critter. There is a woodland bison species but I don't think its range ever included the mid-Atlantic forests.

[scavenger]

Re-establishing wolves and big cats are an environmentalist's dream but I don't think bison are native to the Appalachians. There is the city of Buffalo, NY but it's not named after the big praire critter. There is a woodland bison species but I don't think its range ever included the mid-Atlantic forests.

"Everyone has heard of the mass extinctions of species taking place across the world, especially in the rainforests. But few are aware of the history of extinctions here in Southern Appalachia. Among the animals we have lost are the passenger pigeon, the carolina parakeet, the eastern elk and the eastern bison."

http://web.utk.edu/~nolt/radio/lostspecies.html

[take-a-knee]

Why stop there? How about wolves, bison, and mountain lions, too? That would make for a more exciting hike!

Well, I grew up hearing coyotes on western TV shows, now I hear them from my porch. Rumor control has it that the big cats are restocking themselves back east. As for wolves, they are like grizzlies, they need too much territory. There were eastern/woodland bison, but that specie is extinct, and I think the territory just isn't there for them. Even the elk are iffy at this point what with mad cow/prion diseases.

[fiddlehead]

There are elk in western Pa. And i often hear coyotes near my home near the trail just west of Port Clinton Pa. Big cats? why not? except there are tons of hunters in that same area. Chestnut trees, yes we have small ones only. Maybe they will make it back.

[Wise Old Owl]

We have Tyler Arboretum nearby and recently while hiking in a off limits area, I came across a test fenced in area with a variety of American Chestnut with various amounts of blight. Didn't look good.

[Cabin Fever]

There are tons of Chestnuts between Sam's Gap and Erwin, TN. The goats and deer love them!

[emerald]

I have posted on Penn State's efforts to develop blight-resistant American chestnuts previously. To learn more, click here for information provided by The Arboretum at Penn State.

[swellbill]

I read last Fall that there is curently a very large-scale project going on in the Lancaster County, Pa. area involving American Chestnuts - the larger part of the project involves collecting viable seeds from all over the country and growing them in the same plot for crossing different strains of the American Chestnut. Details are fuzzy now, though, but folks are trying to bring back this majestic tree...hope they succeed.

I seem to remember from a couple of hikes to eagle rock along the Horse shoe trail through Camp Mack that there is a large planing of chestnuts planted in that area. Sure hope they do well