Restoration of a Species

摘要

Once the mighty giant of the eastern forest, the American chestnut (Cas-tanea dentata) stood up to 100 feet tall and numbered in the billions. This iconic tree provided abundant food for wildlife and was a vital component of the rural economy, from Maine to Florida and from the Piedmont west to the Ohio Valley. In the beginning of the 20th century, the fungal pathogen responsible for chestnut blight {Cryphonectria parasitica) was accidentally imported from Asia and spread rapidly through the easternforests. By 1950, the fungus had eliminated the American chestnut as a mature forest tree.