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This is a planting of potentially blight resistant chestnut trees I came across this fall. These are over 90 percent American chestnut, they have been bred and then backcrossed with the chinese chestnut to give them blight resistance but no other characteristics of the chinese chestnut (which is a small, shrubby sort of tree). More backcrossing will make them more American, and hopefully retain the resistance. If the chestnut returns to the eastern forests, it's going to be a big help for the wildlife. A few smaller trees had blight, but the majority, including all the bigger ones, were healthy. So it looks pretty promising right now.
In Maine. These trees have been planted all over the East in small plantings, especially in national forests, to see how they'll do, and to provide seed.
At that time our camp had one large native American Chestnut that had a base that was about eighteen inches in diameter. That really isn't that large compared to one old picture that shows a family of five standing in front of an ancient Chestnut. But it is still large for native trees today. Unfortunately; our tree was dying. That was the only reason that we did not participate with the program. The top died shortly after I contacted Dr. Fitzsimmons and now the tree only has about two living limbs left.
I have spotted some other native trees in our area. But they are all small.
I did have a thread that I started on this subject - but I cannot find it.
Apparently people will never learn not to introduce foreign species to another habitat.
the American Chestnut Foundation is trying to use the natural resistance of the Chinese Chestnut to create a hybrid that is almost pure American Chestnut. So, in this case, the introduction of a foreign species might save the indigenous species. But time will tell. There are actually two different approaches to reintroduce American Chestnuts: Breeding of American Chestnuts | American Chestnut Foundation PA.
the American Chestnut Foundation is trying to use the natural resistance of the Chinese Chestnut to create a hybrid that is almost pure American Chestnut. So, in this case, the introduction of a foreign species might save the indigenous species. But time will tell. There are actually two different approaches to reintroduce American Chestnuts: Breeding of American Chestnuts | American Chestnut Foundation PA.
From Wikipedia: "The chestnut blight was accidentally introduced to North America around 1900, probably on imported Japanese chestnut nursery stock." So you are right on that point. But we are using foreign (Chinese) Chestnuts to hopefully reintroduce the American Chestnut. It will not be the first time that we used a foreign species to fight an invasive foreign species.
Unfortunately we cannot survive as isolationist. We take chances everyday of introducing more invasive species. Sometimes the only "cure" is using more foreign species to check the advance of harmful species.
Asian chestnut trees brought the disease in. It was first noticed in NYC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fisheye
From Wikipedia: "The chestnut blight was accidentally introduced to North America around 1900, probably on imported Japanese chestnut nursery stock." So you are right on that point. But we are using foreign (Chinese) Chestnuts to hopefully reintroduce the American Chestnut. It will not be the first time that we used a foreign species to fight an invasive foreign species.
Unfortunately we cannot survive as isolationist. We take chances everyday of introducing more invasive species. Sometimes the only "cure" is using more foreign species to check the advance of harmful species.
There ya go. Invasive species.
Isolationism not an option? Makes you wonder how the Native Americans lasted 15,000 years.
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