125 Arborway
Boston
MA
Arnold Arboretum will host a talk on The New American Chestnut, by William Powell, Director of the Council on Biotechnology in Forestry, SUNY, Environmental Science and Forestry, and Co-Director of the New York State American Chestnut Research and Restoration Program, at the Hunnewell Building on April 17th from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Much work has gone into attempting to bring back the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), decimated by the exotic chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) beginning in the late 1800s. Breeding by crossing and back-crossing with Japanese and Chinese species has produced positive results, but genetic engineering is proving more viable. William A. Powell, involved in transgenic research that has produced a tree that is 99.999% American chestnut, will speak about this work and the possibilities for reviving a species once ubiquitous in eastern North American forests.
This program is free for Arboretum members and students, $10 for non-members.
Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.