For tree-huggers only

Here’s a book that might appeal to a tree-hugger: American Chestnut: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree by Susan Freinkel. The book details the chestnut blight that destroyed what some considered America’s most magnificent tree and the century-long fight to bring it back.

Personally, I have never seen a chestnut that I’m aware of, at least partly because their native range was essentially the Eastern seaboard extending to the Western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. One intriguing fact is that one of the last surviving stands of chestnut is in East Salem Wisconsin – probably planted by a Civil War soldier who carried nuts home from the South.

It’s also noteworthy that the same debates are still going on about the emerald ash borer, gypsy moth, etc., and the same – ineffective – methods are still used to fight them. We haven’t learned much in 100 years, apparently.

Unfortunately, the book destroyed more trees than needful – it’s a relatively short story told in too many words for any but a real chest-nut.