Reminder to look out for chestnuts.

[nyorange]

Justto remind anyone who was out this seasonhunting or hikingto always keep a lookout for any strangeplants, nuts, etc.never know when you may come across an undiscovered american chestnutetc during your hunt. Found a pile of chestnut burs and a few 2nd growth treeson theproperty in 3C NY which I have been hunting forthe last 23 years and never noticed before.Below is a link identifying the plant and some people to notify if you come across one. Happy New Year to all.

http://www.acf.org/Tree%20ID%20Files_Sisco/5species.html

[Pygmy]

Orange..Thanks for the link..Very interesting...I run across a chestnut every now and again here in Steuben County...Usually they get to a certain size and then develop the blight and die...One on the farm I grew up on got to be perhaps 30 feet tall and 18" in diameter and produced nut crops for several years until it finally blighted and died...Shoots continue to come up from the stump and roots, but they die before or shortly after reaching maturity...

My father in law grew up in the early 1900s, and he told me about how important the chestnut trees were, and how they were the predominant hardwood at that time...Think what a terrible loss to the environment , the economy, and the wildlife it would be if all of our OAK trees should become diseased and die today...

[Newtown]

I have land in Tompkins County and recently walked the land with a DEC forerester. He identified several american chestnuts. The stump stays alive for many years and grows shoots, which can reach nut bearing size before dying. At least the species has persisted and hopefully a resistant strain will evolve in time.