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.
