Backcross: The Past, Present and Future of American Chestnut

A hundred years ago, the American chestnut was the redwood of the East. It was big, and it was everywhere, especially in the southern Appalachians. But, today, it’s just a shrub and is, functionally, extinct. With chestnuts having gone through such a dramatic decline, restoration has been a priority, and it’s been a restoration effort unlike many others. It’s been one of the most passionate efforts an American tree has ever seen. Related Research: American Chestnut Oral History Project (2009) American Chestnut Restoration (NRS) “Reintroduction of American Chestnut in the National Forest System” (2014) “American Chestnut: A Test Case for Genetic Engineering?” (2014) “Growth, Survival, and Competitive Ability of Chestnut Seedlings Planted Across a Gradient of Light Levels” (2017) “Restoration of the American Chestnut Will Require More Than a Blight-Resistant Tree” (2020) Scientists: Leila Pinchot, Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio Bethany Baxter, American Chestnut Oral History Project, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Ella Preston, American Chestnut Oral History Project, Letcher County, Kentucky Harding Ison, American Chestnut Oral History Project, Letcher County, Kentucky James Mullins, American Chestnut Oral History Project, Dickenson County, Virginia Produced by the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station. Want more information? Visit us at https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/nrs/products/multimedia/podcasts/forestcast-season-2-backcross-episode-3-past-present-and-future Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: jonathan.yales@usda.gov