Roy Hopke - Thank you for showing us the American Chestnuts this past Sunday and sharing the efforts you're involved with to save them. It was an educational and worthwhile time for us from the Sierra Club.

The photo is one of the 2 chestnut trees we were treated to at Chenango Valley State Park on Sunday, September 13. Neither tree are particularly healthy but they are alive for now. The outing was led by Roy Hopke, retired forester who is active with the American Chestnut Restoration project. The American Chestnut was once in abundance in the Eastern U.S. and considered a keystone species. A fungal blight introduced from Asia has just about wiped out the tree. Roy told how the American Chestnut Restoration project is developing American Chestnuts that are blight tolerant. They are partnering with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestty. See www.americanchestnut.org

Roy Hopke gave a short talk on September13, then we walked south on the trail that goes along the lake, where there is a small sawtimber chestnut that is trying to bear nuts.