BRCC Arboretum Serendipity

Blue Ridge Community College Arboretum's
 American Chestnut Research Plot

For the past 12 years the BRCC Arboretum has partnered with the American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation by planting seednuts and testing for blight resistance. Beginning this fall, a more organized research effort was initiated to test new strains for blight resistance. This web page will document the progress of these new seednuts. Wish 'em luck!    

What's up with those tubes? Click here for an ongoing research project.
Planting (11/10/00)
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What was planted?
VTL32  Planted November 10, 2000
These American Chestnut seednuts are from open pollinations in a Virginia Tech planting of the first all-American intercrosses among original sources of blight resistance.
American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation. Newport, VA
After Planting (picture taken 12/12/00)

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As time rolls on... (7/19/01) 		Kristi_Pultz.JPG (94198 bytes) Alicia_Kristi.JPG (78839 bytes) Alicia_Acorn.JPG (139965 bytes)
November 2001. Kristi Pultz (left) and Alicia Acorn (right) help prepare the holes for the Fall 2001 planting.
Todd_Zion2.JPG (85056 bytes) Todd_Zion1.jpg (35094 bytes) Todd Zion joined me in planting 14 chestnut seednuts (these are also from an open pollination of the first all-American intercrosses among original sources of blight resistance). Planting Date Nov. 28, 2001

 

In 1988, Anne Nielsen planted the first chestnut in the Arboretum. Here are some recent images from this "survivor." (Every three year old stem develops the blight and spirals into decline).
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Unfortunately, the entire tree died this last winter (2000-2001).  

 

 

Will the blight end the chestnut?

The farmers rather guess not

It keeps smoldering at the roots

And sending up new shoots

'Til another parasite

Shall come to end the blight.
Robert Frost

   

 

Links

American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation
The Chattanooga Chestnut Tree Project
J. Hill Craddock's Chestnut Links - a very impressive collection of links.

 

 

Volunteers

The following individuals helped prepare the chestnut research plot.
Clinton Shuey (Arboretum Groundskeeper Summer 2000)
Michael Geddes (Student)
Jordan Lewis (Student)
Elizabeth Leach (Student)
Matt Switzer (Student)
Mary Paxton (BRCC Biology Dept.)
Lisa Giovanetti (BRCC Biology Dept.)

Charles Johnson mulching the entire bed (April 2002).