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Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by 7thaccount on Friday December 08, 2023 @10:57PM (#38578414)
I saw a video on this recently. It's super sad that such a magnificent tree (along with the American Elm) have been completely destroyed. So much majesty gone.
Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by PcChip on Friday December 08, 2023 @11:00PM (#38578432)
It came up in my feed a few days ago too
Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by huytersd on Saturday December 09, 2023 @02:07AM (#38579404)
Green ash is currently under attack and will be gone within the decade.
Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by 7thaccount on Saturday December 09, 2023 @08:32AM (#38581778)
Not familiar with that one, but sad to hear about.

It wasn't until I started growing apple trees that I realized how crazy hard it is to grow some trees. They're susceptible to insects, fungus, drought, flood, animals...etc.

Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by mattgrice on Saturday December 09, 2023 @08:53AM (#38581914)
It's all ash trees that are at risk.

The pest is the emerald ash borer. Emerald refers to the color of the beetle. It's emerald ash_borer, not emerald_ash borer.

Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by petergrace on Sunday December 10, 2023 @07:13AM (#38591021)
Yep, had four dead ash cut down last year and a whopping 22 dead ash cut down a few weeks ago. The grub form of the ash borer can be found in the firewood rounds.
Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by patrickwalton on Saturday December 09, 2023 @11:22AM (#38583155)
I became really interested in this topic after having my first roast chestnuts a couple years ago! Some of the interesting things I learned: - Chestnut deforestation due to blight was a substantial portion of global deforestation in the early 20th century (IIRC half in 1920s and 1930s). - Chestnuts were such a staple that they were considered poor people food in America. Some lamented that chestnut products (including chestnut flours) seemed to be all the general stores carried. - The majority of all wood construction in early America was chestnut.

Wild that such a central part of American society vanished and I didn't even know beyond "chestnuts roasting on an open fire". Makes me wonder what other parts of our lives and culture will be lost with extinctions caused by climate change.

Re:American Chestnut Foundation Ceasing Distribution of Blig... by woleium on Saturday December 09, 2023 @04:49PM (#38586414)
wild, but also reassuring that within a generation or two a change like this (and there will be many more coming with climate change) can be adapted to and forgotten.