News
“Today, we’re making history by establishing an American chestnut tree orchard on the 183 Preserve to help save the tree from the brink of extinction,” said David McCarthy, Executive Director of the Wilton Land Conservation Trust (WLCT).
On May 22, members of WLCT, the CT Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, and the Wilton Community convened to establish a Germplasm Conservation Orchard of American chestnut trees at the 183 Ridgefield Road Preserve.
The group, ranging from 5 to 70+ years old, planted the first 10 of 100 American chestnuts and installed a deer enclosure around each tree. The orchard will function to cross-breed American chestnut trees and increase their resistance against the chestnut blight. The orchard will serve as a source of education for the greater Wilton community and inform science…
Photo Credit: Wilton Land Trust
