The once blighted American chestnut tree seems to be making a comeback with the help of an extensive new cross-breeding program.
The cross-breeding efforts were initiated to combat a blight that has ravaged and nearly eliminated the tree population on the East Coast since the early 1900s.
In continuing efforts to raise awareness of the condition of the trees, The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) sponsors various events around the East Coast and they're looking for volunteers for a training workshop and hike at Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Slatington on Saturday.Fighting the blight
These new trees are being bred to resist the fungal pathogen which was mistakenly imported from Asia in the early 20th century, according to a news release from TACF. By 1950 the fungus had eliminated the chestnut as a mature forest tree in many Eastern United States forests.
On May 8, members and volunteers with the Pennsylvania chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation worked to plant 250 of these "new" Chestnut trees in Somerset County in New Jersey.
These cross-bred trees -- 15 parts American chestnut and one part Chinese chestnut -- are called 'Restoration Chestnut 1.0,' according to the foundation's website.
New Jersey does not have its own chapter, so the Pennsylvania chapter has been working closely with the Garden State to bring in more of these cross-bred chestnuts.
Member and volunteer with TACF's Pennsylvania chapter, Les Nichols has been active in his support of the cross-breeding.
"The May 8 planting was the first planting of the cross-bred trees in New Jersey, so that was very exciting," Nichols says.
Planting a future
According to TACF, the cross-breeding process begins with crossing an American and Chinese chestnut, which is then followed by three generations of crossing back to the American chestnut to restore the American characteristics. Between each breeding step, the trees are given inoculations of the blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica). Those trees showing the strongest resistance and most American chestnut characteristics are chosen to continue breeding for further generations.
The cross-breeding process is currently in a testing phase, in both test orchards and forests, which, according to TACF, is proving to be successful.
"A good percentage of the nuts coming out of our breeding program are showing high blight resistance and it's with those nuts that we will continue to breed with," says Mila Kirkland, Director of Communications for TACF. "It is our confident expectation that we will one day restore the chestnut to our eastern forests."
Saturday's workshop will focus on gaining citizen involvement in collecting data on the chestnuts along the Appalachian Train, which will help to make scientists aware of the ideal conditions for American chestnuts to grow.
Pennsylvania chapter volunteer Mike Manes will lead the training workshop, which will begin with a presentation at 10 a.m., followed by a hike from 1 to 3 p.m.
If you are planning to register for the workshop, please note that space is limited, but a second class will be scheduled if the first one becomes full. Email Kathy Marmet at firstname.lastname@example.org to register for the event.
If you go
The training workshop runs from 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, 8844 Paint Mill Road in Slatington, Pa. The workshop will take place in the main building of the center, in one of two rooms depending on the size of the group.
Hike from 1-3 p.m. The hike will begin at the Little Gap entrance to the Appalachian Trail, where the trail crosses Blue Mountain Drive (about 200 yards south of the entrance to Blue Mountain Ski Area).
More information on The American Chestnut Foundation, visit acf.org.