Learn about the American chestnut, a native tree of eastern North America that was devastated by chestnut blight in the 20th century. Find out how it looks, where it grows, and what efforts are being made to save it. · Learn how the Forest Service and The American Chestnut Foundation are working to create a blight-resistant strain of American chestnut from the unique DNA of trees in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. See photos and videos of the project and the challenges of restoring this native species. Learn how to identify American chestnuts and send us a sample for identification. Want a tree? Learn how to get American chestnut seeds from TACF. · With its strong, rot resistant wood and abundant annual crop of nutrient dense chestnuts, the American chestnut was once an invaluable hardwood for humans and wildlife before the chestnut blight decimated its populations in the early 1900s, leaving a lasting scar on eastern North American forests. American Chestnut was predominately located in the eastern half of Ohio, where the soils are more acidic. Its nuts were a staple food of the Native Americans and pioneers, while its wood was harvested for the production of furniture, musical instruments, caskets, crates, and tannin. Discover how to identify chestnut species and learn about the American Chestnut Restoration efforts. Access history, projects, and resources to support conservation. Over 3 billion American chestnuttrees were found in mixed hardwood forests with oaks (Quercus spp.), maples (Acer spp.), and hickories (Carya spp.). Because it could grow rapidly and attain huge sizes, the tree was often the outstanding visual feature in both urban and rural landscapes.
