| Date: | January 10, 2018 |
| Time: | 12:00 - 1:00 PM |
| Venue: | Hahn Horticulture Garden (Virginia Tech) |
| Description: |
The Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech continues their Learn at Lunch series with the program "The Great American Chestnut" on Wednesday, January 10, 2018. Join us for a Learn at Lunch program focusing on The Great American Chestnut and Efforts of Restoration with Carl Absher, ISA Master Arborist and Board member of the VA Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation The American chestnut (Castenea dentata) was the most common keystone species in the Appalachian region from the time of European settlement until the 20th century. A fungus introduced to the country just after the turn of the century (Cryphonectria parisitca) wiped out as many as 4,000,000,000 in just 50 years. Dedicated scientists and an army of volunteers are now testing the performance of resistant trees using the few flowering surviving American chestnuts, advanced breeding techniques, biotechnology, and bio-controls to return this iconic tree to our eastern forests. This presentation will offer an overview of the history and demise of the American chestnut, and a summary of the status of the restoration effort. The event is rain or shine. The talk will move indoors if heavy rain or storms. Admission is free and all are welcome. To view thee event flyer, visit: https://i.imgur.com/tcO67zi.jpg. For more information, visit: http://www.hort.vt.edu/hhg/ or https://www.facebook.com/HahnHorticultureGarden or call 540-231-5970. |