Very cool presentation, thank you for the work! After reviewing these two fundamentally different but same goals for the restoration of the American Chestnut, it is undoubtedly noticeable that the transgenic work of SUNY most likely is the best bet for Castanea dentata's future in the wild. Not to look down on the years of work done by cross breeding and hybridization, but having a 101% American Chestnut that can share its ability to break down oxalic with native trees will be a much better long term goal than mixed breed trees in our forests.
I feel like the American chestnut probably grew much larger than 100 ft because we have trees in Maine that get over 100ft rather quickly. We also know from historical records that it easily competes with tulip poplar and there have been rare cases of tulip poplar nearly reaching 200ft tall.
Thank you, excellent presentation. One question about the blight: are there any areas outside the natural range (in other parts of the country) that are not affected?
One problem that may have led to the swift deforestation of the Chestnut tree was perhaps that its forests were largely comprised of its own kind excluding other species and varieties of trees and plants. So when the blight caught on, it swept over all the nearby Chestnut trees. It is the diversity of tree species in a forest that forestalls the rapid spread of any single blight. Nature's diversity works against this. Whereas even a healthy diversified tree environment in a given forest may have trees with infections and blights, these are localized and prevented from spreading out to every other tree. So, the 100% healthy American Chestnut tree saplings that are still growing around, should be removed from where they germinate to be transported to an environment where there is a diversity of other trees and shrubs. It is my opinion therefore that that may be the answer to this tree's future survival in the long term. Rather than trying to preserve new saplings in a severely sanitized and controlled environment, they should be nurtured in forest patches densely populated by other varieties of trees and shrubs. All vegetation thrives in diversity. Food foresting is based upon this same principle. Mono-cropping of the Chestnut tree where other kinds of trees and vegetation are excluded will invite the blight to rampage through again.
Best option is full transgenic GMO american chestnut tree. Insert only the genes that confer resistance but the tree is 100% american not some hybridized mess of a tree.
One of the best presentations I’ve seen on the American Chestnut, and I thought I had seen them all.
Very cool presentation, thank you for the work! After reviewing these two fundamentally different but same goals for the restoration of the American Chestnut, it is undoubtedly noticeable that the transgenic work of SUNY most likely is the best bet for Castanea dentata's future in the wild. Not to look down on the years of work done by cross breeding and hybridization, but having a 101% American Chestnut that can share its ability to break down oxalic with native trees will be a much better long term goal than mixed breed trees in our forests.
Great job, Tom.
Excellent presentation. Especially for people who are above average education
we bought a few from the VA Dept of Forestry and have set them out on our acreage in Halifax County.
Great overview, pity this has so few views.
I know where there is a giant tree in the Tidewater area. Will check the tree this fall to see if it is blight-free.
Why are CT and MA switched on the distribution map?
I feel like the American chestnut probably grew much larger than 100 ft because we have trees in Maine that get over 100ft rather quickly. We also know from historical records that it easily competes with tulip poplar and there have been rare cases of tulip poplar nearly reaching 200ft tall.
Thank you, excellent presentation. One question about the blight: are there any areas outside the natural range (in other parts of the country) that are not affected?
Is there s chapter in Indiana? And when can the public get trees to plant? To often when they replant an area its all pine and not hardwoods
I’m sure there were a heavy population of Black Locust which bloom at the same time.
has anyone tried to cultivate european chesnut trees in the USA?
One problem that may have led to the swift deforestation of the Chestnut tree was perhaps that its forests were largely comprised of its own kind excluding other species and varieties of trees and plants. So when the blight caught on, it swept over all the nearby Chestnut trees. It is the diversity of tree species in a forest that forestalls the rapid spread of any single blight. Nature's diversity works against this. Whereas even a healthy diversified tree environment in a given forest may have trees with infections and blights, these are localized and prevented from spreading out to every other tree. So, the 100% healthy American Chestnut tree saplings that are still growing around, should be removed from where they germinate to be transported to an environment where there is a diversity of other trees and shrubs. It is my opinion therefore that that may be the answer to this tree's future survival in the long term. Rather than trying to preserve new saplings in a severely sanitized and controlled environment, they should be nurtured in forest patches densely populated by other varieties of trees and shrubs. All vegetation thrives in diversity. Food foresting is based upon this same principle. Mono-cropping of the Chestnut tree where other kinds of trees and vegetation are excluded will invite the blight to rampage through again.
can’t we use crispr technology to neuter the virus?
Best option is full transgenic GMO american chestnut tree. Insert only the genes that confer resistance but the tree is 100% american not some hybridized mess of a tree.
Why not just make all of the American Chestnut trees wear a n-95 face mask and social distance?