US FOREST SERVICE NORTHERN RESEARCH STATION RESOURCES AND REFERENCES Websites: References: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station: Bauman J, Keiffer C, Hiremath S. 2009. Environmental variables www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/chestnut_ as predictors for ectomycorrhizal species in American restoration_mine_lands/ chestnut (Castanea dentata) mine reclamation. Proceedings, Research ReviewNO. 18 | AUTUMN 2012 www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/ded Annual Ecological Society Meeting, 2009. #20119, p 58. USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, Northeastern Area: Hiremath S, Lehtoma K, Nagle A, Bonello P. 2012 [In press]. www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/ded/ Screening for Phytophthora cinnamomi in reclaimed USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Arboretum: mined lands targeted for American chestnut restoration www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/060613.htm projects. Proceedings, USDA Interagency Research Forum on American Chestnut Foundation: www.acf.org Gypsy Moth and Other Invasive Species, 2010. GTR-NRS-P-75. American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation: www.accf-online.org Newtown Square, PA: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Restoring Forest Icons: American Phytopathological Society: www.apsnet.org Station. Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative: www.arri.osmre.gov Hiremath S, Lehtoma K. 2008. Molecular identification of Casey Trees (Washington, DC): www.caseytrees.org ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with the American New Directions in American Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station: chestnut. In: Gottschalk KW, ed. Proceedings, 18th USDA www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=281528&q=376754 Interagency Research Forum on Gypsy Moth and Other Invasive Chestnut and Elm Research State University of New York, Environmental Sciences and Forestry: Species, 2007; 2007 January 9-12; Annapolis, MD. GTR-NRS-P-28. www.esf.edu/chestnut Newtown Square, PA: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research The Nature Conservancy: Station: 38. www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/ connecticut/connecticutriver/restoring-floodplains-with-american- Knight KS, Slavicek JM, Menard K, and others. In press. Using Dutch Many of the long-term serious pests of trees in North America arrived on plants elm.xml elm disease-tolerant elm to restore floodplains impacted by emerald ash borer. In: Sniezko RA, Yanchuk AD, Kliejunas and logs brought to northeastern entry ports. These include chestnut blight (New JT, and others, tech. coords. Disease and Insect Resistance in Forest York City), Dutch elm disease (DED, Ohio), beech bark disease (Canadian Maritime Books: Trees: Proceedings, 4th International Workshop on the Genetics Provinces), hemlock woolly adelgid (central Virginia), and emerald ash borer (EAB, Bolgiano C, Novak G, eds. 2007. Mighty Giants: An American of Host-Parasite Interactions in Forestry. 31 July-5 August 2011; Michigan). The elimination or reduction of the host tree species has had extensive Eugene, OR; PSW-Gen. Tech. Rep. Albany, CA: USDA Forest Chestnut Anthology. Bennington, VT: American Chestnut consequences reverberating throughout the ecosystem, affecting the insects, Foundation. Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. animals, plants, and nutrient cycles. Campanella TJ. 2003. Republic of Shade: New England and the Slavicek JM. In press. Development of methods for the American Elm. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. restoration of the American elm in forested landscapes. Because of their location in the Northeast, scientists of the U.S. Forest Service’s Freinkel S. 2007. American Chestnut: The Life, Death, and In: Sniezko RA, Yanchuk AD, Kliejunas JT, and others, tech. coords. Rebirth of a Perfect Tree. Berkeley: University of California Disease and Insect Resistance in Forest Trees: Proceedings, 4th Northern Research Station (NRS) are part of a 100-year-long tradition of Press. International Workshop on the Genetics of Host-Parasite Interactions Michael T. Rains Rebecca G. Nisley For additional copies or to be put on the mailing researchers who have studied these diseases and their host trees. Along with in Forestry. 31 July-5 August 5 2011; Euguene, OR. Gen. Tech. Rep. Station Director Writer and Editor list, email [email protected] or call 740-368-0123. basic and applied research on recent pests (Asian longhorn beetle and emerald PSW-Gen. Tech. Rep. Albany, CA: USDA Forest Service, Pacific 11 Campus Boulevard #200 ash borer), NRS scientists have begun long-term studies on methods to restore 203-230-4338 Southwest Research Station. Newtown Square, PA 19073 disease-tolerant/resistant varieties of two iconic tree species that have nearly [email protected] Slavicek JM, Knight KS. In press. Generation of American elm 610-577-4017 disappeared from forested and rural landscapes—the American chestnut and the trees with tolerance to Dutch elm disease through [email protected] American elm. controlled crosses and selection. In: Sniezko RA, Yanchuk AD, Kliejunas JT, and others, tech. coords. Disease and Insect Resistance BLIGHT-RESISTANT AMERICAN CHESTNUT HYBRIDS The public is encouraged to report any promising survivor in Forest Trees: Proceedings, 4th International Workshop on the NRS Research Review is published quarterly by the Our research themes are (1) Forest Disturbance Processes, (2) Urban elm candidates to Genetics of Host-Parasite Interactions in Forestry; 31 July-5 August Communications and Science Delivery Group of the Northern Research Natural Resources Stewardship, (3) Sustaining Forests, (4) Providing TESTED IN COAL MINE OUTPLANTING TRIALS www.nrs.fs.fed.us/survivor_elms/ 2011; Eugene, OR. PSW-Gen. Tech. Rep. Albany, CA: USDA Forest Station (NRS), U.S. Forest Service. As part of the nation’s largest forestry Clean Air and Water, and (5) Natural Resources Inventory and The American chestnut dominated the forest canopy in much of the eastern United Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. Information about the tree’s location is kept confidential. research organization, NRS serves the Northeast and Midwest and beyond, Monitoring. States; its timber was highly valued and its nuts were a highly nutritious food providing the latest research on current problems and issues affecting forests source for wildlife, humans, and livestock. The fungus Cryphonectria parasitica There are 135 NRS scientists working at 20 field offices, 24 and the people who depend on them. arrived in New York City on Asian nursery stock in the early 1900s and chestnut experimental forests, and universities located across 20 states, from blight spread quickly and inexorably into its new and defenseless host population. Maine to Maryland, Missouri to Minnesota. Although many control strategies were pursued, none were successful. As a result, in a few decades American chestnuts were reduced to living root systems with a few The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, susceptible branches and fading memories of forest giants. sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Chestnut seedlings in planting tubes at Ohio coal mine site. continued on page two Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal Photo by Shiv Hiremath, U.S. Forest Service 5 opportunity provider and employer. 1 continued from page one MORE DED-TOLERANT AMERICAN ELMS However, extensive research efforts during the last two decades give hope DEVELOPED AND TESTED IN WILD that this iconic tree can be restored to its natural range. Although the OUTPLANTINGS American chestnut is susceptible to the fungus, its Asian counterpart, the The American elm was a favorite tree for planting along city streets, and Chinese chestnut, is resistant. Many plant breeders have been working to many communities were proud of their beautiful elm-lined streets—New produce a tree with the timber qualities of the American chestnut and the Haven, CT, for example, hasn’t quit calling itself “the Elm City.” The tall resistance of the Chinese species. The American Chestnut Foundation’s crowns of mature elms spanned roadways, shaded houses and parks, and breeding program has developed a promising back-crossing method and provided cleaner air and cooler temperatures. But, sadly, these elm-lined has produced a set of blight-resistant hybrids (BC3F3) containing ~94 streets are now only a memory, existing only in pictures. The Dutch elm percent American chestnut genes. disease (DED) fungal pathogen, Ophiostoma ulmi, entered North America in 1930 and has destroyed millions of American elm trees in the United Shivanand Hiremath, an NRS research scientist (Delaware, OH), is States and Canada since then. Very few large elms are left; they are either planting these hybrids in reclaimed coal mine sites in the Appalachian outside the normal range, carefully tended (for example, the elms in region, once a major part of the American