January 15, 16, 22, & 23 @ 1–3PM

Before 1910 the American chestnut was one of the more common trees in the eastern United States. An important natural resource, chestnut wood was used for woodworking, fencing, and building construction, as it was rot resistant and straight grained. The hearty and delicious nuts also fed wildlife, people, and livestock. However, after a blight fungus was introduced into the United States in the late nineteenth century, the American chestnut became “functionally extinct.” Although the eradication of the species caused one of the greatest ecological catastrophes since the last ice age, considerable folklore about the American chestnut remains.

During this seminar, Donald Edward Davis & Ralph H. Lutts will discuss the evolutionary history of the American chestnut, as well as its relationship to other Castanea species. They will address the impact of the American chestnut on Native American life and culture both before and after European settlement. They will also discuss the tree’s important influence on nineteenth and early twentieth-century American life, including the commercial nut-trade. In the Southern Appalachians, the nuts were a major element in the local economy, as whole families collected and depended on them to get through the winter. The importation of the chestnut blight fungus will be addressed, including the tree’s decline as a dominant forest species. Finally, they will evaluate efforts to restore the American chestnut to its former place in the eastern deciduous forest, including attempts to genetically modify the species.

Numerous archival images, maps, and illustrations will be shared with participants in the seminar, which will be conducted via Zoom over several weekends.

Registration is required for this course. Registration is free, but the course costs $150.

REGISTER HERE.

Hosted by the Eagle Hill Institute.