Synthesis of American chestnut (Castanea dentata) biological, ecological, and genetic attributes with application to forest restoration

Introduction American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh. once occurred over much of the eastern deciduous forests of North America (Russell, 1987), with a natural range exceeding 800,000 km (Braun, 1950) (Figure 1). Castanea dentata was a dominant tree species throughout much of its range, comprising between 25-50% of the canopy (Braun, 1950; Foster et al., 2002; Russell, 1987; Stephenson, 1986). Particularly in the Appalachian region, C. dentata filled an important ecological niche (Ellison et al., 2005; Youngs, 2000). The wood of C. dentata has a straight grain, is strong and easy to saw or split, lacks the radial end grain found on many hardwoods and is extremely resistant to decay (Youngs, 2000). Historically, C. dentata wood served many specialty use purposes including telephone poles, posts, and railroad ties, as well as construction lumber, siding, and roofing (Smith, 2000; Youngs, 2000). Due to the high tannin content, both the wood and bark were used to produce tannin for leather production. The nuts, which are edible raw or roasted, were collected throughout the fall to provide a dietary supplement and were also used as a commodity for sale or trade on U.S. streets (Steer, 1948; Youngs, 2000).