AMERICAN CHESTNUT BLIGHT - Greatest forest loss in history

There were once almost 4 billion American chestnuts and they were among the largest, tallest, and fastest-growing trees in the eastern forest. The wood was long-lasting, straight-grained, and suitable for furniture, fencing, and building. The nuts fed billions of birds and animals. It was almost a perfect tree - that is, until it was killed by a blight a century ago. That blight has been called the greatest ecological disaster to strike the world's forests in all of history. A tree that had survived all adversaries for 40 million years had disappeared within 40.

[@RedLooney]

There's 5 mature, nut bearing trees that my great grandfather planted back in the 40's which I'm gathering nuts from to grow more of these beautiful trees.

[@curtiscornett]

It is so great that you have trees and plan to plant more.

[@willman76]

I greatly enjoyed this documentary. I never knew how much the blight affected the people, economy and ecosystem. Nina did a wonderful job capturing the spirit.

[@curtiscornett]

Will, Thanks for the nice words. We're glad you like the documentary.

[@rhontopo]

Beautifully told story...i grew up in east Alabama and we had a large chestnut tree in our yard, giving generously its fruits, as well , scattering its piercing burred helmets of needles. Many times my foot was found, as one can't really tiptoe around the chestnut tree successfully...when my Dad died around 1988 my Mom had the tree cut down.I was able to get two large stumps to keep for remembrance of my dad and the chestnut tree.i still have those logs by my fireplace but not to burn...but to keep as a family keepsake a remembrance of Dallas, my daddy. It has remained in my home for about 40 plus years now.I'm again feeling that sentimental yearning to find a fine-woodworker to help me turn this treasure into small family keepsakes.....thank you...

[@curtiscornett]

What a lovely anecdote, and thank you for the compliment. We enjoyed doing the documentary. My Aunt Mary tells me about waking early one morning when she was small and going out barefoot to gather chestnuts. She also mentioned the prickly burrs.

[@CRAFTSMANFISHING]

Very sad. but I hope the hybrid trees today will make it come back to the woods.

[@curtiscornett]

We do too. Either the genetically modified ones, once approved, or some of the backcrosses, or both. Either way it would be great to have them back in Appalachia. There's a lot of activity right now - people finding saplings that are bearing and collecting pollen before they succumb to the blight, nursery forests being established, etc. Lots of hope.

[@sunnypatchfarm]

That is a great video.. The chestnut story has really interested me lately. This is the best film I have seen yet

[@curtiscornett]

sunny patch farm Thanks very much. We were fascinated by the story and wanted to do it justice. It's nice to hear that we have at least come close.

[@wildbytes-Indianwildlifeclub]

A very engaging documentary. Thanks for putting this on You Tube for a wider audience!

[@curtiscornett]

Thank you very much, Indian Wildlife Club, for the nice comment.

[@curtiscornett]

Your English is great when it is saying such nice things about our video. We learned recently that the video will be used in a Mid-Atlantic eight state region in an invasive species training program, and we're very pleased to have it used for that purpose. Your factory sounds fascinating. Thanks !

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks so much. We often don't learn, sadly.

[@commoveo1]

I take great pride to say” w have two nice and large chestnut trees in both mine and the neighbors. Not Chinese but the American. Thanks for this very useful documentary. ❤️🌳 I have to fight over the very tasteful fruits with the deer. Love our nature.

[@curtiscornett]

That is so great. They are such wonderful trees,

[@seed_drill7135]

I remember my mom's mother wrote a beautiful poem eulogizing the chestnut, which my grandfather framed in the same. My whole house is paneled in chestnut, as when all the trees died there was an overabundance of lumber. They even used it as flooring in my attic.

[@curtiscornett]

Now that almost no chestnut is left, the chestnut lumber in your house could be worth more than the house. And clearly your house will last forever, being made of chestnut. But how wonderful to live in an example of history.

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks for that great memory. It would have been a great one to share in the video. And how wonderful that you have such a treasure of chestnut wood.

[@6R07C241507]

ThankYou, and May God Bless you through your efforts, a wonderful dissertation! As an owner of a Chestnut Victorian work, I'm pleased to help preserve a dream each night I go to sleep. May the Good God keep You, in His word, Forever Faithful. Amen.

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks so much, Gregory, for your praise and your good wishes.

[@tomeejr]

Great informational video, but, the background music is too competitive with the narrator's voice and makes it hard to hear that.

[@CS19CS99]

Really enjoyed this ,thank you.......Does leave one with sadness,,,,,

[@curtiscornett]

Cheyenne, It doesn't look as if we ever answered this comment. I don't know how we missed it. Thanks so much for your nice comments.

[@curtiscornett]

+IndianWildlifeClub: Thank you very much for your nice comment. We live in the area American Chestnuts once thrived in, and the story of their loss struck us strongly. The American Chestnut Foundation is making steady progress toward regeneration, and we are hoping they succeed.

[@drumrooster]

thank you for posting this. I been growing 3 Chinese Chestnuts trees for 18 yrs..We look forward to September..I keep them sprayed and usually have very few Weevels...I pray we bring back the American Tree someday for our children..

[@curtiscornett]

We appreciate your comment, and we, like you, hope the American chestnut is restored. I have never eaten an American chestnut, but I have eaten chinkapins, their close relatives, and they are wonderful.

[@briandonahue8079]

Thanks for this video. I didn't learn about this in school, but I did see a post on reddit about these trees and then someone linked this video. Great information! Thanks for teaching me something new.

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks, Brian, for the nice words. WE tried to make it educational without being dull.

[@MikeyMystery45]

Interesting video. I learned a lot from this video and it was awesome to hear the old stories from the people who grew up with them considering those stories are some of the last to be experienced and after they're gone there's not going to be any stories like it. Also the way they used "Mudpacking" is very interesting to know. Thanks for making this whoever you are.

[@kronikles1]

Great Video! I am trying to grow some American Chestnut Trees about 25 miles from the Meadows of Dan that is mentioned in your video. The old D & W Railway line is about 2 miles from here that is mentioned as well. Wish me luck and again Great Video and I think the music is fine as well .

[@JockDoubleday]

Great video. There's a good book called "The Dying of the Trees: The Pandemic in America's Forests," by Charles E. Little, that talks about the entire history of the destruction of forests, mostly at the hands of man, in this country.

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks, Jock, for both the compliment and the information.

[@Prrthd81702]

Great video! Just maybe would have liked to have a longer description of the blight and how the fungus affected the trees.

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks! Being that close to the Meadows of Dan probably means you are in a great area to grow chestnuts. Having those names mentioned is very interesting to us, and makes that important historical occurrence seem closer and more real. We spent the last week upgrading the video for use by the American Chestnut Foundation in their training program. We would be happy to provide you a copy. Good luck!!

[@curtiscornett]

+Tim Kendrick Thanks. Saplings are still coming off the roots of the original trees. They usually only get 15 to 20 feet tall, but there are major efforts in process to make them blight resistant.

[@JD-hh9io]

Very good video. We just brought home a bag full from a guys house here in Orange Co NY. There is 3 or 4 trees. They don't look to good but do make fruit. Sep 25, 21

[@curtiscornett]

So many sprouts die before they bear that it's great to hear about Have you contacted anyone from the American Chestnut Foundation? I'm sure they'd love to collect pollen. I've eaten chinquapins but never American chestnuts. Would love to some time.

[@0xskar]

This is fascinating, I had no idea. Thanks for sharing, we can take a lot away from this. I cried.

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks for calling this fascinating. We appreciate the kind words. That you cried is a real compliment to both the documentary and to you...

[@arigaylor616]

My neighbor has a fully grown chestnut tree and it is snowing on the 4th of July, here right now. I live on outskirts of Canton Ohio 44705, I will try and take a picture tomorrow. I was trying to figure out what the tree was for awhile and a new neighbor moved in and went and found what she had. I double checked I have a branch here with fronds? And also 2 tiny buckeyes. I did not know of the plight of the Chestnut Tree untill today. Thank you so much for all of the videos and information. Jeri

[@curtiscornett]

How wonderful to have a chestnut.

[@trasemirus]

thanks. The chestnut wood is my life in Spain. all construccions and all producción in my Factory (structumad) are really with castanea sativa (europan chestnut). important video to learn of the past, ??? sorry for my bad english.

[@virgocali]

My friend just sent me this video and I'm actually trying to write a non-fiction children's book that would be about the American Chestnut Tree, starting from it's past and leading into the present, with all the work that's going on to 'bring this tree back'. I would so like to be able to get a copy of this video if it still is available. I will take a chance and write to you (using the e-mail below you provided) and hope to be able to have this great video as a reference in my book. Thank you so much.

[@williampowell3783]

Excellent video on the history of American chestnut and the blight. I will link this to our chestnut webpage in hopes more people will view it. Everyone needs to hear this story.

[@curtiscornett]

William Powell Thank you, William. We think everyone needs to hear the story too.

[@kronikles1]

Thank You Very Much! Meadows Of Dan Is a Beautiful Place with Wonderful People. The Locals Called the D&W Railway the "Dick & Willie"in the old days. It ran from Stuart through Fieldale, Martinsville to Danville, Va. Some of the tracks are still there. I would love to purchase a copy if possible. Just let me know what I need to do. Thanks again and GOD Bless!

[@happybuddyperson]

This is incredibly sad, I definitely cried, because I love chestnuts. This inspires me even more to get my own chestnuts.

[@curtiscornett]

***** Thanks so much for your comment. It is sad, and we are pleased that we were able to capture the tragedy well enough for it to affect viewers. We feel the same way. You might want to get in touch with the American Chestnut Federation (I believe the website is TACF.org) and explore the possibility of getting a back-cross that is potentially blight resistant. Wouldn't it be a great thing to have an American chestnut tree of one's own?

[@happybuddyperson]

I have places I can buy them from, but they get blight after the tree reaches 2 feet in diameter. I'm waiting for the genetically modified chestnut blight resistant American chestnut, one of the only GMOs I will intentionally cultivate (because the other GMOs are mostly just round up resistance, which I never use).

[@curtiscornett]

+ Drumrooster: Thanks so much for your nice comments. I hope that you will soon be growing American as well as Chinese chestnut trees. Are you aware of the work of the American Chestnut Foundation? They seem to be making great progress.

[@maxkeenan4933]

The genetically modified one is better

[@curtiscornett]

I think ou're right, Max. It seems to be in the lead now, and will definitely be the one to go if the government approves it. But I am so admiring of the people who were willing to start the crossbreeding knowing they would be committing decades to the effort.

[@curtiscornett]

+Shawnson Johnson. Thanks. Maybe we'll do a follow-up sometime and include more on that area.

[@HawgNSonsTV2]

Great video! I'm going to plant me some this year!

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks for the compliment. Were you able to plant some chestnuts, and how are they doing?

[@mauriceupton1474]

Discovered this interesting doco after looking at buying a 3 Hectare chesnut farm in New Zealand.

[@curtiscornett]

Nice to hear from you and glad you enjoyed the documentary. I'm assuming that the chestnut trees on that farm are European. If you buy the farm, you might want to look at the possibility of seeking to plant a few blight-resistant American chestnuts there (the regeneration program has reached the point where they are being planted here, although the numbers are yet few). The taste is really wonderful. On another subject: We visited New Zealand a few years back and found it a lovely country.

[@mauriceupton1474]

Dean Cornett​ Thankyou, we definitely live in a wonderful part of the world in New Zealand that's for sure. I think they were the European variety however we missed out on buying this property. I was researching about Chesnuts when I discovered your channel documentary and the ecological disaster that was the American chestnut blight. It would be interesting to get hold of some American chesnuts and see if they would grow here in the North Island of NZ, the chestnuts tree farm that we looked at had also suffered from a form of root fungus the same fungus that affects passion fruit & avocado trees, the orchardists in NZ have to use a chemical called phosphoric acid to inoculate to protect the trees otherwise they die. Nothing is easy when growing crops.

[@greenspringvalley]

Excellent video. thanks.

[@curtiscornett]

Thank you, greenspringvalley. We appreciate your taking the time to tell us you liked the video.

[@curtiscornett]

+Jock Doubleday: Jock, That sounds like a great book. We'll look it up. And thanks so much for the compliment.

[@curtiscornett]

nopcbs2 It's good to know that about the ash trees. We haven't been affected but my brother lost several hundred in Ohio. I'll pass this on to him in case it isn't too late for him.

[@curtiscornett]

Thanks

[@curtiscornett]

sorry. If we upload it again we will turn it down. Thanks.

[@curtiscornett]

+Jeri/AriGaylor: How lucky you are to have seen "snow in July." Please do send us a photo; we'd love to see it. I wonder if the American Chestnut Foundation, which is working to restore the chestnut, knows about this tree? I know there is a well-known tree or perhaps grove near Canton.

[@chrisbudesa9441]

thank you.

[@curtiscornett]

You're very welcome, Chris. We appreciate your comment. We think this is a significant story, and were glad to be able to tell it.

[@kalebhwithers532]

Hi, I was wondering if I could use this video as a primary source for a class project i'm doing on the American Chestnut Blight?

[@curtiscornett]

Kalebh, I thought we answered this earlier and assured you you could, but I don't see that reply here, so we're repeating that permission.

[@dovercastbrandon9637]

We recently found a mature American Chestnut in our family property.

[@curtiscornett]

Dovercast Brandon What a great thing. Where is your property?

[@dovercastbrandon9637]

@Dean Cornett we live in habersham county, Georgia. It is large enough that my grandma can remember picking up chestnuts with my father. Now that I'm 14 and love the chestnut I find it hard to believe I used to curse the burs as a child. I saw the tree last week and almost a quarter of the tree is now dead. When we measured the tree it was nearly 37 inches around.

[@curtiscornett]

Dovercast Brandon Are you saying that your grandmother picked up chestnuts from that tree? What a wonderful family story. Did you by chance take a photo? If so, could you send it to us? We'd love to see it. Are you aware of The American Chestnut Foundation (acf.org or tacf.org)? They are the leader in trying to restore the chestnut, and I think they'd be very interested in hearing about this tree. At a minimum, you could enter the photo in their monthly contest.

[@dovercastbrandon9637]

+Dean Cornett the chestnut is now in the breeding program for the GA chapter of TACF. If you have an email, I can send you a few photos.

[@accousticdecay]

Crying shame... and now the EAB proves we did not learn.

[@curtiscornett]

It really has devastated ash trees.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

Imagine how many mouths 4 billion chestnut trees could feed? Wouldn't that provide enough meat for the whole world without having to kill a single cow?

[@curtiscornett]

B Charron It seems as though it would. It certainly fed billions of passenger pigeons, plus nearly all the other wildlife in the woods. It will be a real bonus for wildlife if the American Chestnut Foundation succeeds in bringing the chestnuts back.

[@MrMoriarty100]

Would be a great tree to plant on the Pennines in northern England, except that Britain's obsession unregulated global trade brought the blight in this year as well as the chalara ash dieback. Dutch elm disease was a similar story here in the 1970's. Oak wilt waits West of the Atlantic to hitch a ride on oak bark beetle East of it to send oaks the same way. When will we ever learn?!

[@curtiscornett]

We're making progress toward a blight resistant American chestnut but I would hesitate to recommend importing it because, wonderful tree that it was, it itself might bring some other pest to England

[@craigmorton7747]

I can not hear the speaker

[@curtiscornett]

Craig Morton Sorry. Was it throughout, or intermittent? Thanks for alerting us,

[@craigmorton7747]

Throughout.

[@LCDRformat]

Sad story :c

[@curtiscornett]

It is a sad story, isn't it. But if the restoration succeeds, we will have made up, to some extent, for what we accidentally did.

[@JohnWizardofReuseBushe]

important info

[@curtiscornett]

+John Bushe' (Wizard of Reuse) Thank you, John. It's really cheering to know that the effort to restore the American chestnut to our eastern woods is moving along well. It may be the first time that a tree on the verge of extinction has been brought back. We hope that may also bring some resurgence to the economy of Appalachia, but it will certainly benefit birds and animals.

[@curtiscornett]

+pen mighty gun. Thanks!

[@charronfamilyconnect]

From chestnuts to ginseng for the poor folks trying to carve out an existence in the woods and mountains of appalachia? With the scarcity of chestnuts in Appalachia I wonder what price you could fetch for a pound of Chestnuts from that region? Would the price compare to Ginseng?

[@curtiscornett]

B Charron That is a fascinating thought. I wonder, too. I suppose part of ginseng's price results from the oriental beliefs about its use, so maybe not, but I'm sure they'd bring a good price.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

Dean Cornett Yeah your right. The price of anything is determined by peoples belief in its value, which may not necessarily have anything to do with its supply though if it's in real short supply in addition than its value is truly high. Personally, I would start planting black walnut trees since their price has been rising due to droughts in california, and now we just have to convince the chinese that they will make them live much longer, and have better jiggy jiggy in the sack. LOL!

[@curtiscornett]

Wayne, We'll be glad to send you copy free. Just send an email to [e-mail] with your mailing address and we'll get it right out to you.

[@curtiscornett]

***** Thanks. We hope so, too