The chestnut trees provided food and shelter for early homesteaders, he said. In addition, the chestnut trees in Haywood County were used by the Champion pulp and paper mill in Canton for tannin and wood chips. The area had a number of turkeys, grouse, black bear and deer that were primarily due to the chestnuts food source. The restoration project crosses all boundaries of interest, Gallimore said. Hunters realize the chestnuts provide food for wildlife.
Environmentalists are enthusiastic about restoring the gentle giant to forests.
The American Chestnut Foundation works with various organizations to plant and test research trees. Property owners must agree not to allow anyone access to the seedlings but the American Chestnut Foundation. Chestnut blight was first noticed in North America in 1904. It quickly spread, leaving dead and dying American chestnuts behind. Chinese chestnuts acquired a genetic material that is resistant to the blight.