American Chestnuts planted in Ohio state forests

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources: The department planted American chestnut trees in Mohican State Park, the Scioto Trail State Forest and the Waterloo Wildlife Area as part of a state and regional effort in partnership with The American Chestnut Foundation, according to a news release. About 1,000 one-year-old seedlings donated by TACF were divided among the sites and given tree shelter tubes to protect their early growth.

"We are happy to be a part of helping to return the American chestnut to landscapes across Ohio and the region," said Robert Boyles, ODNR's deputy director and state forester. "The American chestnut was such an important component of our country's eastern hardwood forest, and that is why great efforts are being made to resurrect this great tree to our woodlands."

The native American chestnut populations were devastated by a blight in the early 1900s, but these seedlings are "Restoration" chestnuts bred at the TACF's Meadowview Research Farms in Virginia. They are 94% American chestnut and 6% Chinese chestnut, which is resistant to the blight.