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CONSERVATION CORNER
(For the week of October 6, 2008)
National Chestnut Week
by James L. Cummins

National Chestnut Week will be October 12-18, 2008. This week is to celebrate not only the economic benefits of the chestnut tree but also the healthy aspects of the chestnut itself. For centuries, people ate chestnuts in North America until the chestnut blight destroyed almost all of the trees in our U.S. forests. This great blight was possibly the most destructive forest disease episode in history.

In Colonial times, the range of the American chestnut stretched from southern Maine to Mississippi. The American chestnut was once a common dominant tree in the deciduous forest of Eastern North America. The chestnut blight, caused by the fungus Endothia parasitica, was first reported in New York in 1904. It was a human-imported fungus disease. Within 50 years, it had spread throughout the natural range of the chestnut trees and caused American chestnut wood to become very rare.

The Chestnut wood had many valuable properties. It was a relatively fast growing tree that was an important source of lumber. They grew with a long straight trunk, to a large diameter, and reached heights of 100 feet. It was highly rot resistant and lighter than many other hardwoods.

The wood was also similar to oak in being decorative and very durable. Indians hollowed out the trees to make canoes when birch was not available. The wood was also used to make church pews, sills, floor rafters, fence posts and utility poles.

The chestnut can be roasted, boiled or candied for simple snacks as well as found in hors d'oeuvres. They are also used in soups, salads, main dishes and desserts. Another important use of chestnuts is to be ground into flour, which can then be used to prepare bread, cakes and pasta. Chestnuts contain no cholesterol and just a trace of fat. It is also the only nut that contains a significant amount of vitamin C. This delicious low-calorie treat has a mild flavor and is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates which provide energy.

Chestnut trees produce a good crop of nuts almost every year. This is important to wildlife such as turkeys, wood ducks and squirrels, all of which are known to consume large quantities of nuts. Hot roasted chestnuts also make great hand warmers in your pocket on a chilly day. You can find them in the supermarkets from September through December. The chestnut is good for the economy, good for people and good for wildlife.

The American Chestnut Foundation is working to develop a blight resistant American chestnut. Its mission is to restore the American chestnut to its native range. For more information on chestnut restoration or the foundation, visit www.acf.org.