AMERICAN CHESTNUT AS A FUTURE RESOURCE TO ENHANCE MINE RECLAMATION PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

Mine reclamation sites can be difficult to reforest, and trees that successfully establish on these sites are often comprised of relatively undesirable species.American chestnut (Castanea dentata) once dominated the forests throughout much of the coal-producing region in Appalachia.However, the exotic fungus Cryphonectria parasitica was discovered in 1904 and within several decades, the blight killed nearly every tree throughout the range.A dedicated breeding program sponsored by The American Chestnut Foundation has made tremendous progress toward producing a blight-resistant variety of American chestnut by hybridizing with the blight-resistant Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima).It is expected that a blight-resistant hybrid chestnut tree (~94% American chestnut) will be available for reintroduction within the next decade, providing a new species option for reclamation programs.Due to continued presence of the fungus throughout eastern forests, few studies have examined American chestnut growth performance in plantations.However, a recent study on a blight-free site in Wisconsin reported exceptional growth capacity of chestnut relative to co-occurring hardwood species.Sufficient evidence also exists to suggest that American chestnut may tolerate many of the stressful physical and chemical soil characteristics typical of mine reclamation sites.Rapid growth, adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions, good timber quality, and exceptional wildlife properties make American chestnut a highly desirable potential species for future reclamation programs.