Swanton, OH, September 3, 2013: There will be an American Chestnut workshop and tour starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Swanton Public Library, 305 Chestnut St., Swanton, OH 43558 on September 21, 2013.
Before the blight, American Chestnuts were majestic forest trees, sometimes called “the Redwoods of the East.” A keystone species, one in four trees of the eastern US forest was a chestnut. These huge trees were highly valued since the golden hardwood resisted rot, and its crop of sweet nuts fed abundant wildlife and generations of Americans. In northwest Ohio, chestnuts grew along Lake Erie and in the Oak Openings Region.
You will learn how to bring back the chestnut through a morning workshop, followed by lunch and tours to three nearby chestnut sites. You will receive at least one pure American chestnut seedling, and seeds to grow next spring in your garden, farm, or woodland. The workshop presenter is Penn State University Researcher, Sara Fern Fitzsimmons. Sara is the Regional Science Coordinator of the American Chestnut Foundation. She will share chestnut history, planting and growing methods, common diseases and pests, and leaf and wood identification.
Pre-registration is required and the cost is $25.00 per person, which includes lunch. Deadline to register is September 20th; and the contact is Kim Bowles of the Fulton SWCD at 419-337-9660 or kbowles@fultoncountyoh.com. The workshop and tour is being sponsored by Lange Tree Farm, Lucas & Fulton SWCDs, Wild Ones Oak Openings, Metroparks of the Toledo Area, OSU-Lucas County Extension, Owens Community College, ODNR Maumee State Forest, Black Swamp Conservancy, and the Oak Openings Green Ribbon Initiative.