A century ago, the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) dominated much of the American landscape, both in territory and in size.  Many trees towered over 100 feet tall and had diameters of 10 feet.

In 1904, a foreign fungus that attacks the tree's bark decimated most Chestnuts across the Northeast.   American Chestnuts had nearly no resistance.  It took only 50 years to destroy most of these majestic trees across the country.

Today, plant breeders, genetic engineers, foresters, land owners and other concerned individuals are working hard to develop chestnut trees that are resistant to the blight and adapted to local environmental conditions throughout the tree's former range.