Daily Archives: March 31, 2017

Monday, April 17, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The New American Chestnut

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Much work has gone into attempting to bring back the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), decimated by the exotic chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) beginning in the late 1800s. Breeding by crossing and back-crossing with Japanese and Chinese species has produced positive results, but genetic engineering is proving more viable. William A. Powell, MD, PhD, Director, Council on Biotechnology in Forestry, SUNY, Environmental Science and Forestry and Co-Director, New York State American Chestnut Research and Restoration Program, has been involved in transgenic research that has produced a tree that is 99.999% American chestnut, and will speak about this work and the possibilities for reviving a species once ubiquitous in eastern North American forests. The New American Chestnut lecture will take place Monday, April 17 beginning at 7 pm in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum.  Fee: Free for Arboretum members and students, $10 nonmembers. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.  Image from www.nature.com.

Tuesdays, April 25 – May 16, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm, or Wednesdays, April 26 – May 17, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Wildflowers of New England

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New to the world of native plants? There’s no better way to study the region’s flora than in the field. In this New England Wild Flower Society four part class, we will learn to identify New England’s native plants by studying their habitats at Garden in the Woods. The class will examine family characteristics, growth patterns, and key identification features of flowers, leaves, and stems. Bring a hand lens and Wildflowers of New England. The Wild Flowers of New England sessions take place at Garden in the Woods Tuesdays, April 25 – May 16 from 6:30 – 9, and are taught by Neela de Zoysa. $136 for NEWFS members, $170 nonmembers. Register online at www.newfs.org. There is a second Wildflowers of New England class which begins on 4/26/17, during the day, from 10 am – 12:30 on April 26 – May 17. Image from elkmoundwildflowers.com.