Daily Archives: March 16, 2019

Saturday, March 30, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm – The American Chestnut: When Will It Flourish Again?

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The American chestnut could be the first tree ever restored to its native forest after suffering from a devastating airborne blight in the early 1900s that killed billions of trees.

Join The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University on Ssturday, March 30 from 9 – 12:30 for a thought-provoking gathering as experts share perspectives on the history of American chestnut (Castanea dentata), its significance as a forest species, and subsequent decimation by an invasive blight pathogen, Cryphonectria parasitica. Ongoing research in blight tolerance and the addition of blight-tolerant genes are the prognosis for this tree’s future.

Special speakers include:

• Dr. David Foster, Director of the Harvard Forest

• Ms. Sara Fitzsimmons, Director of Restoration at The American Chestnut Foundation

• Dr. William Powell, Professor and Director of Council on Biotechnology and Forestry at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

• Dr. Jared Westbrook, Director of Science at The American Chestnut Foundation

A panel discussion will follow the lectures:

Introduction by Ms. Lisa Thomson, President and CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation

Panel participants will include each speaker as well as Edward Faison, Senior Ecologist at Highstead Arboretum

Fee $20 per person (Free for students).Event takes place at the Arnold Arboretum’s WELD HILL RESEARCH BUILDING, 1300 Centre Street, Roslindale, MA

Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

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Uli Lorimer Named Director of Horticulture by the New England Wild Flower Society

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New England Wild Flower Society, a national leader in native plant conservation, horticulture, and education, has named Uli Lorimer as its new Director of Horticulture. Lorimer is currently curator of the Native Flora Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and will begin his new role in March. He will oversee both Garden in the Woods, the Society’s botanic garden in Framingham, and Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts, a nursery focused on propagation of and research about New England native plants.

“We are excited to welcome Uli to the staff as we launch ambitious initiatives at the Garden and in horticultural research,” says Debbi Edelstein, Executive Director of the Society. “Uli’s passion for native plants and ecological landscaping, plus his commitment to outreach and education, make him an ideal person to lead our horticulture team.”
The Delaware native grew up with an interest in all things green, and since 2005 has held the position of curator of the Native Flora Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. During his tenure at BBG, Lorimer not only tended the original 108-year- old Native Flora Garden but was also instrumental in the creation of a new extension of the garden, which features a native coastal plain meadow and pine barrens. He also worked closely with botanists throughout the region to collect seed from the wild, propagated new plants for the collection, and documented and studied the region’s biodiversity. Lorimer is a popular teacher and public speaker and is also a contributing author and photographer for several BBG publications, including Community Gardening, Healthy Soils for Sustainable Gardens, Tough Natives for Tough Places, A Native Plant Reader, Easy Compost, and Edible Gardens. Lorimer holds degrees from the University of Delaware in Landscape Horticulture and Foreign Languages and Literature. Fabulous photo below by the incomparable Ken Druse.

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