On Sep 24, 8:02*am, jeff wrote:


story in today's news and observer...thought you might be interested.
it made me think of our communication some time ago about the chestnuts
you discovered up there...apparently out of the normal range i've read
about. *i was going to send to you before i read your note, but this
provides the opportunity. *if restored, the entire wildlife picture in
the nc mountains could revitalize...

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/113994.html

The American Chestnut Foundation has been in the forefront of efforts
to save the tree for a long time. It's interesting to see that they
are betting on modern genetic technology these days; for a long time
they were staunch advocates of hypovirulence....infecting the
offending fungus with a pathogen of its own, a virus. The idea looked
promising for a time but with 30 or more strains of the fungus around,
it didn't pan out as expected. Hasn't been entirely discarded though,
or, not last I heard anyway. Meanwhile, others are banking on the
(admittedly miraculous) appearance of a resistant native. This
strategy depends at least in part on maintaining a diverse genetic
stock. This, in turn, depends at least in part ( a very large part)
on isolation. Thus, there are a great many more native chestnuts out
there than ANYONE knows about.....a lot of people aren't talking, and
they have my complete sympathy....and cooperation, insofar as it is
mine to give. I will say only that the article is somewhat in error
in the implication that the blight inevitably strikes all trees ten
years of age or older. I know of, and have personally seen, 54 year
old specimens, easily accessible to the general public (as well as to
the scientists who are justifiably suspected of having infected many a
formerly blight free stand merely by showing up in their spore laden
clothing and boots) and visited by tens of thousands of people every
year.....albeit only a minuscule percentage of them have any idea of
what they are seeing and its import.

This story, like most that are worth telling or hearing, gets even
more complicated. Like any other human venture, efforts to save the
chestnut are endlessly controversial for a host of reasons, not least
of which is the fact that a lot of glory (and, in these meticulously
patented days, a LOT of bucks) is riding on the outcome for the
winners. There are many camps. Among the most obvious (without
naming names) are those that jealousy (if not necessarily effectively)
guard their own substantial interests, and those profligate fools who
would disseminate whatever they can get their unwashed little hands
on.

You want drama? You want intrigue? You want smiling faces hiding the
evil that lurks within?

g.
it's about the trees......uh huh.

p.s. those 54 year old natives are prolific nut producers.....every
year. one of the features that made.....no, still makes.....Castanea
dentata an extraordinary tree. anyone familiar with commercially
important fruit producing trees will understand why.

p.p.s. thanks for the heads up, jeff.