Some thoughts on the American Chestnut and the Emerald Ash Borer

[golfandwoodnut]

According to a forest ranger I spoke to they have introduced a tiny wasp that is supposed to help with the Ash Borer. However he said the wasps are weak and will take many years. They did a similiar thing with the gypsy moths, as I recall, were they introduced a wasp. I hope I am not getting the Oak Wilt as I did just have a very large Oak tree die.

 

[clemsonfor]

Thanks for the information Scott. That indeed is interesting. As for the ash, my hope is any new growth won't be hit by the borers as they will have moved on. I do have one ash that I have not checked on for quite some time but will check on it. This one grew from a stump of an ash that I cut several years ago. It might be interesting to see how it is doing and hopefully it is still alive. If it is, then this gives some hope for sure.

It will be similar to the Chestnut, but different. Even if Area "A" is totally rid of Ash to the stumps and the borers move on to area B then C. This would allow trees in area A to resprout from seed or root stock, but the once mature, unless there is a band wide enough they cant get across, IE having a sanitation cut 10s of miles wide between effected areaas and good areas the borrer will just migrate back on historic range once the hosts are size appropriate. At least this is how i see it.

 

[clemsonfor]

According to a forest ranger I spoke to they have introduced a tiny wasp that is supposed to help with the Ash Borer. However he said the wasps are weak and will take many years. They did a similiar thing with the gypsy moths, as I recall, were they introduced a wasp. I hope I am not getting the Oak Wilt as I did just have a very large Oak tree die.

I dont think Oak wilt is east of the Mississippi, but i admit i dont keep up on the forest pathology stuff like i should?

Also Scotty there is a farm up the road from me, (well about 1.5 hours) in Seneca. Its right next to clemson. They grow the Chestnut hybrids there. He is a long standing member of the ACF. They plant the generations there get seeds and restart etc. He either came to us while in school, but i think it was a Society of American Foresters meeting i was at. He said if interested give him a call and you can have a tour. I never took him up on it, but was hoping to get some seeds myself.

 

[ScotO]

Cough....hack...groan. Cough, cough. I hope this isn't how they plan on building a population...and is more of a charitable donation type thing.

I'm pretty sure that the seeds are limited, and eventually as the trees mature they will probably become more available at a cheaper cost. I'm all about donating to a good cause, but that amount is a little 'un-doable" right now for me. There was a guy in Michigan on ebay that was selling seeds that were believed to have hybridized with Chinese chestnuts on their own over the past 100 or so years, they were reasonable. I bought a couple and they germinated, grew to around a foot tall but I didn't get them transplanted in time and they died. I'm gonna try it again this spring.

*edit * found the link, read the description and the Guy's feedback. Sounds pretty legit....

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=271043594988&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=97658125776

 

[JeffRey30747]

I dont think Oak wilt is east of the Mississippi, but i admit i dont keep up on the forest pathology stuff like i should?

Oak wilt is east of the Mississippi and apparently spreading fast. The map at the link below was as of 1998. I'm fairly certain we have it here in NW GA now as there are a number of red oaks dying without any other explanation.

(broken link removed)

 

[lukem]

I'm pretty sure that the seeds are limited, and eventually as the trees mature they will probably become more available at a cheaper cost. I'm all about donating to a good cause, but that amount is a little 'un-doable" right now for me. There was a guy in Michigan on ebay that was selling seeds that were believed to have hybridized with Chinese chestnuts on their own over the past 100 or so years, they were reasonable. I bought a couple and they germinated, grew to around a foot tall but I didn't get them transplanted in time and they died. I'm gonna try it again this spring.

*edit * found the link, read the description and the Guy's feedback. Sounds pretty legit....

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=271043594988&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=97658125776

I'm all for supporting a good cause too, but seems like if they wanted to propagate the species...they'd improve the pricing. They may just be looking for supporters with deep pockets, which is fine too. I guess I'm wondering what the objective is here.

 

[ScotO]

I'm all for supporting a good cause too, but seems like if they wanted to propagate the species...they'd improve the pricing. They may just be looking for supporters with deep pockets, which is fine too. I guess I'm wondering what the objective is here.

I agree to an extent, but to the best of my knowledge TACF is self-funded, and I'm sure it's an expensive operation. The seeds, being relatively scarce due to this being a fairly recent breakthrough, are going to be sparse until the trees develop and mature. It'll be interesting to see how this thing pans out over the next decade......that would give a good idea if and how the tree will react with the blight.....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Oak wilt is east of the Mississippi and apparently spreading fast. The map at the link below was as of 1998. I'm fairly certain we have it here in NW GA now as there are a number of red oaks dying without any other explanation.

(broken link removed)

Oak wilt is also in Michigan.

 

[weatherguy]

The trees you remember in the 60s and 70s are probably Chinese Chestnut, which are still common. Chinese Chestnut, and I believe European Chestnuts too, are resistant to the fungus that kills American Chestnut. The fungus comes from Europe or Asia and the American Chestnut didn't have any resistance to it. American Chestnut was a big, tall tree unlike the small Chinese Chestnuts which never get very tall, maybe 40 or 50 feet tall at most.

I think your right duck, I didnt realize they were fairly similar, after reading the link Im sure they're chinese.

(broken link removed to http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/comparison/)

 

[Thistle]

Oak wilt is also in Michigan.

Been here big time for at least 15 yrs now.Bur Oak Blight is also a concern now,mainly in urban areas with large pure or nearly pure stands. Scattered through the woods mixed among other trees its not as threatened.

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2011/2-9/buroakblight.html

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2007/8-22/Tubakia.html

 

[Wood Duck]

One of the difficulties with the American Chestnut hybridization program is that each generation takes a long time. I am not sure exactly how long it takes but I bet it is at least six or eight years from planting a nut to a tree that bears any nuts at all. That is bad enough, but you really have to wait until the tree is large enough to be affected by the blight to know which trees you want to select for the next generation of hybrids. Remember that the process requires each generation of hybrid tree to be hand-pollinated from a pure American Chestnut, and it also requires that the hybrids with good blight resistance AND a good similarity to pure American Chestnut trees be selected. It takes a lot of years to know which trees are the best ones to select for the next generation.

 

[mfglickman]

There is a 1700s house near me that is on the slate to be demolished. Would there be Chestnut beams in there? Anybody have pics of some beams?

(crying about the 1700s house to be demolished)

My house was built in 1758. We have chestnut beams and floors. The floors have no poly or other finish on them, but nothing marks or scratches. Not even the nails from my 2 Newfoundland dogs (who made mincemeat out of the pine flooring in the addition in about 24 hours flat). You can see some pics here (I think)

This is an album of foundation and beam shots, I'm fascinated with how the house was built, not a speck of mortar: http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll243/superdog_photos/foundations and beams/

Floors:

Floors in context:

 

[clemsonfor]

One of the difficulties with the American Chestnut hybridization program is that each generation takes a long time. I am not sure exactly how long it takes but I bet it is at least six or eight years from planting a nut to a tree that bears any nuts at all. That is bad enough, but you really have to wait until the tree is large enough to be affected by the blight to know which trees you want to select for the next generation of hybrids. Remember that the process requires each generation of hybrid tree to be hand-pollinated from a pure American Chestnut, and it also requires that the hybrids with good blight resistance AND a good similarity to pure American Chestnut trees be selected. It takes a lot of years to know which trees are the best ones to select for the next generation.

I think i remember it saying its 12 years a generation, or maybe its 8??? After that generation has born nuts they destroy those trees and start over. Read an article in some mag in the doctors office this summer.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Mary, those are some beautiful pictures.

 

[ScotO]

There is a 1700s house near me that is on the slate to be demolished. Would there be Chestnut beams in there? Anybody have pics of some beams?

very likely to have chestnut all through it MWN. Probably the sleeper beams and posts. Google "American Chestnut" and look at images. it has a unique grain, sort of a cross between oak and ash, with a light tan color to it.

 

[ScotO]

(crying about the 1700s house to be demolished)

My house was built in 1758. We have chestnut beams and floors. The floors have no poly or other finish on them, but nothing marks or scratches. Not even the nails from my 2 Newfoundland dogs (who made mincemeat out of the pine flooring in the addition in about 24 hours flat). You can see some pics here (I think)

This is an album of foundation and beam shots, I'm fascinated with how the house was built, not a speck of mortar: http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll243/superdog_photos/foundations and beams/

Floors:

Floors in context:

I'm in love with your house, honestly!!

 

[Thistle]

Oh wow.Around here all I see of Chestnut is in older books.Do have some pieces left from a few Walnut 4 x 6 & 8 x 8 1890's barn timbers I bought about 20 yrs ago however.

 

[jharkin]

Hmm.. When we bought our place the home inspector thought a lot of the exterior trim and detail work was chestnut... The framing I thought was oak, but now seeing your closeup shots mfglickman (must have missed this over at OHW) makes me wonder if I have more chestnut woodwork in the house than I thought. I will have to get some grain closeups to check it out!

 

[MasterMech]

Dad's house was orginally a 1700's stagecoach inn. Seeing these pictures, I'm willing to bet all of the 1st story floors except the kitchen are Chesnut.

 

[basod]

Oak wilt is east of the Mississippi and apparently spreading fast. The map at the link below was as of 1998. I'm fairly certain we have it here in NW GA now as there are a number of red oaks dying without any other explanation.

(broken link removed)

Thanks for the info link.
I'm almost positive its on my property. Walked the woods and found 4 dead/dying red oaks last week. I plan on going and flagging them so I can tell which to cut this winter.
If I see any of the indicative signs I'll post a few pics of some leaves

 

[ScotO]

Dad's house was orginally a 1700's stagecoach inn. Seeing these pictures, I'm willing to bet all of the 1st story floors except the kitchen are Chesnut.

Pictures, MM........you know the rules!

 

[basod]

Does this look like oak wilt?
The leaves on the ground had dark green/brown veins. I picked this off the one of the lower sucker limbs.

 

[jharkin]

Scotty you seem to share the old house passion Do you live in an old house too?

 

[MasterMech]

Pictures, MM........you know the rules!

Next time I get a chance!

I don't get up there nearly as much as I'd like but there is also a 80's vintage Defiant sitting on the hearth that some here may appreciate.

 

[ScotO]

Scotty you seem to share the old house passion Do you live in an old house too?

I love the old homes, J! While my house isn't quite THAT old (1918), my wife and I both love old homes. I'm into the Colonial/Federal eras, she's into the Victorians. We mixed all three styles into our remodel (which we are doing ourselves). Here's a pic of the staircase I built in our home (my first large staircase).




Stone is from the local mountains around our house, the baluster are from an 1840's mansion, and the banister is from a local Victorian mansion. I want to make new walnut newel posts down the road from the big walnut I cut down this spring. I'll post more pics of the house when I finish the job..I don't have many other pics of what's done on my phone.....