(828) 526-0173 | [email protected] | Copyright 2024 – All Rights Reserved.
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
Restoring the Chestnut
Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: 2021/09 – September
An innovative program of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians aims to restore the majestic American Chestnut to the forests of Western North Carolina.
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
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has partnered with The American Chestnut Foundation to bring what used to be a thriving tree species back to the Western North Carolina mountains.
While the fruits of the labor involved require great patience – due to the fact that the trees’ revival may not be clearly evident for many years – Joey Owle is excited and optimistic.
Owle is EBCI’s secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and he explained that before the invasive chestnut blight pathogen reduced the mighty American chestnut to stump sprouts, Native peoples for thousands of years made a cough syrup from the leaves of the tree, and they also took an infusion of year-old chestnuts for heart trouble. In addition, chestnuts were roasted, ground into flour for cakes and bread, and stewed into puddings and soups.
In the future, the area will once again enjoy the beauty and practicality of the American chestnut tree due to a partnership between EBCI and TACF. In the works is the establishment of a demonstration orchard for the restoration of the tree using local genetics; the site will also be where there will be scientific progress on developing blight-resistant American chestnuts and seed production for distribution across tribal lands.
Owle said, “I hope that one day in the future, 200, 500, a thousand years from now, those generations can stand next to a 6- or 8-foot diameter chestnut tree in our mountains and be able to trace the story of that tree back to today.”
Some seedlings will be planted in the orchard this fall.
Owle added, “We are still in the preliminary stages, but it’s exciting to think of people a decade or more from now making chestnut bread out of nuts from these chestnut trees. Having grown up on the boundary, I learned about how integral the environment and its resources were to our way of life. I am proud to be a part of this project that aims to restore a component of our traditional way of life.”
For those of us on the Plateau, if these experiments are successful, the American chestnut will return to the woodlands surrounding us and assume its place as the most cherished tree in the forest. (For more information, consult Luke Osteen’s Toxaway Memories in last month’s Laurel.)
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
Share this article:
