By Lauren
Gregory/Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer
Right now, it’s just another acre and a half of land on
Berry College’s campus. But local members of the American Chestnut
Foundation can already envision an orchard that, during the next
decade, could partially resurrect a treasured species on the verge of
extinction.
So dominant at the
beginning of the 20th century that it made up about 25 percent of
Northwest Georgia’s forests, the enormous American chestnut tree once
played a central role in the country’s commerce, ecosystem and
culture from Maine to Florida.
But by 1950, the tree had been essentially wiped out by a deadly
fungus believed to have spread from a shipment of Asian chestnuts
coming into New York. As many as 3.5 billion trees were killed
nationwide between 1910 and 1950, according to TACF estimates.
Berry biology professor Martin Cipollini draws a parallel between
the American chestnut and a more well-known endangered species. “It’s
like the redwoods of the East,” he said.
Cipollini has long been entranced by the story of the chestnut
tree but only recently learned there was something he could do to
save the species.
After stumbling upon an TACF meeting during a hike in North
Carolina, Cipollini was inspired to become involved in the
organization’s Georgia chapter.
“There’s a good chance to return this tree to the wild in my
lifetime,” he said. “I didn’t think that could happen.”
The foundation is devoted to restoring the chestnut to its native
forests before it disappears forever, Cipollini said, with chapters
in various states adopting a cross-breeding program to inoculate
existing trees against the blight that decimated most of their
ancestors.
“Some states have great, established programs,” he said. “The idea
is for each state to start their own program and create their own
trees. ... Georgia’s program is just getting started.”
The program involves breeding American chestnuts with
blight-resistant Asian chestnuts, in turn breeding that offspring
with pure American trees. “You keep doing that until you essentially
dilute the Asian characteristics,” Cipollini explained, “but at every
step of the way, you’re taking the trees most resistant to the blight
and with the most American characteristics. ... You’re constantly
trying to make the offspring look more American.”
Cipollini has finally been able to bring the project to Rome,
finding space up the road from the Old Mill on Berry’s campus for
what he says will become the first chestnut orchard in Georgia.
Local TACF members have ordered supplies and plan to plant around
100 seeds — some American, some Chinese and some hybrid — when they
arrive. The seeds will be grown in pots until the fall, when they’ll
be transplanted to the orchard for a first-year test run.
Ultimately, Cipollini said, “we hope to have 600 trees in here
when it all works out.” That will take some time, however, he said.
And in the meanwhile, Cipollini and fellow chapter member Mike Hinson
are recruiting help.
Locally, the organization only has about six active members,
Cipollini said. The group is looking to expand, he said, because
“there’s lots of different roles where people can contribute.”
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