When Giants Roamed Appalachia: The Story of The Chestnut
Throughout the early to mid-20th century, American chestnut trees suffered immense devastation due to chestnut blight, a fungal disease introduced by Japanese chestnut trees imported to North America from Japan. Approximately 3 to 4 billion American chestnut trees were estimated to have perished in the initial decades of the 20th century, starting in 1904. Today, few fully-grown American chestnuts remain within their former habitat, although numerous stumps and root systems persist, giving rise to saplings. Unfortunately, most of these saplings fall prey to chestnut blight, which encircles and kills them before reaching maturity.