The Epic Saga of the American Chestnut

This talk will cover the story of one of the world's greatest trees. The American chestnut once dominated the forests of the East. It was the pinnacle of a wildlife tree, tremendously useful to mankind, a supreme native species that was almost wiped out by a devastating blight one hundred years ago. People of the time watched in horror as whole hillsides died. Today there are small surviving American chestnuts scattered throughout the woods, including around Ithaca. Very rarely someone finds a "big" one. Groups and inspired individuals keep the restoration of this great tree a living dream through planting, breeding, and other mysterious methods. Join Akiva Silver, passionate tree planter and storyteller, to learn about the ecology, history, and restoration of the American chestnut.