Rise and Fall of the American Chestnut

Learn about this iconic tree's past, present, and future.  Presented by Whately Historical Society.

Ann Lomeli and Allison Bell will tell the story of this once-common tree of eastern U.S. forests and the invasive exotic pest that devastated the species.
Paul Wetzel of Smith College’s MacLeish Field Station in West Whately will talk about efforts there to breed blight-resistant chestnut trees.
Sample roasted chestnuts grown in Whately and learn about the Big River Chestnuts project in Sunderland, MA.