American Chestnut Trees Planted at Holy Cross Monastery

American Chestnut Trees Planted at Holy Cross Monastery - Holy Cross Monastery

American Chestnut Trees Planted at Holy Cross Monastery

Friday, November 16th, at 1:30 pm, Robert Sypolt of the West Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation helped us plant two American Chestnut trees at our monastery.

The American Chestnut used to comprise twenty-five percent of the Appalachian forest. It was a valuable tree both for lumber and food until a fungus was accidentally introduced in the year 1904. Within forty years this fungus caused a blight that killed almost all American Chestnut trees, approximately four billion.

The trees that have been planted here are the result of thirty-five years of research and labor by the American Chestnut Foundation to restore this tree to its native habitat.

You can learn more at https://www.acf.org/.

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2 comments


  • marymargaret kujawa

    wonderful!


  • Virginia Chryssikos

    Wonderful about the 2 chestnut trees planted at the Hermitage. I hope they “take!” Where do the chestnuts we buy come from if there are no trees? My grandmother Virginia’s village in Greece was called “Kastanea,”(meaning chestnut orchard) because it was full of chestnut trees. When I visited there, I would eat the chestnuts. Growing up, I always remember her enjoying eating thrm. Again it’s so good the monastery can be a part of the A.C.F.’s project.


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