WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST
I remember when I was hired at CFA back in 2007, it was said, “they are only about 3 to 5 years from getting the transgenic blight-resistant American chestnut approved.” Well, the wait is finally over.
“On Friday, November 06, the Catskill Forest Association, Frost Valley YMCA & SilvaBio gathered at Frost Valley’s more than 5,500-acre campus in the Catskills to plant blight-tolerant American chestnut trees, a once-in-a-generation moment in American conservation.
Once the most abundant tree in the eastern United States, the American chestnut defined the forests of this region for millennia—ecologically, economically, and culturally irreplaceable. In the early 20th century, a devastating fungal blight swept through the continent, eliminating an estimated four billion trees within decades and rendering the species functionally extinct.
Following the historic USDA deregulation of the Darling 54 line, this planting marked a pivotal step toward restoration across the species’ 25-state native range—reflecting the commitment of conservation partners, scientists, and local stewards to safeguard the future of the Catskills’ forests and beyond.”
May the Forest Be with You,
Ryan Trapani
Director of Forest Services
Catskill Forest Association