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The American Chestnut was the dominant tree in western Virginia before a fungus killed it over 60 years ago. The "chestnut blight," as the fungus is called, is considered one of the greatest environmental tragedies of all time. The fungus was introduced from Asia and is still present in the environment today.
4-H members have been helping scientists at Virginia Tech breed blight resistance back into surviving chestnuts. Each fall, chestnuts are harvested from experimental trees in Giles County, and are sent to cooperators throughout the state and region for spring planting. To be a cooperator, a person must agree to plant seeds or seedlings, then report survival each year as long as their trees live. It is as simple as that. You may plant one or many trees. For more information about the chestnut, visit the American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation website. |
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