NBC29Researchers Working to Bring Back American Chestnut Tree

Researchers Working to Bring Back American Chestnut Tree

A hundred years ago, disease wiped out the American chestnut trees that had dominated the forests up and down the East Coast. But now, decades into research attempting to bring the tree back to Virginia, there's new hope.

Virginia Department of Forestry researchers have been working on growing the trees on about 30 acres of land in Nelson County

"Our goal is to produce American chestnut, put 'em back in the wild, and they will be resistant trees," said Wayne Bowman, a forest researcher.

Bowman is doing research on a plot of Nelson County land to bring the nearly extinct trees back to life. "We're trying to get it back because it was so important at that time," he said.

Chestnut trees, which had been a critical natural resource, were killed off by a blight 100 years ago.

"People used this tree for their log houses, they used it for firewood, they used it for fencing split rails, for shingles on their house," said Bowman.

Since 1969, researchers have been using American chestnut pollen to pollinate Chinese chestnut trees.

"It's time sensitive," said Bowman. "If you don't do it at the right time, you don't get the nuts. We're getting closer, but I don't know the exact number of years."

When the trees do return, researchers say there will be benefits.

"It provides a lot of aesthetic value; its lumber provides value, its nuts and the tall tress provide a great habitat for wildlife," said Greg O'Donnell with the Virginia Department of Forestry.

O'Donnell says the most pressing issue the trees can help solve is global warming.

"Trees are able to bring carbon out of the atmosphere, and anytime we can bring big, tall, healthy tress into the state to help with all those things we want to try to do that."

There are only a few surviving American chestnut trees in Central Virginia--most on private land--and they're all protected.

Reported by Jenn McDaniel
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