“The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo today welcomed 20 hybrid American chestnut trees, donated by New York Restoration Project (NYRP) in partnership with The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), marking the first time American chestnut trees have been planted at the zoo since the devastating chestnut blight eliminated billions of American chestnut trees across North America and rendered the species functionally extinct…
The return of the American chestnut to the zoo represents a meaningful connection between the zoo’s history and the tree’s ongoing conservation efforts. In 1904, the zoo’s Chief Forester, Hermann Merkel, was the first to document the devastating chestnut blight, which would go on to decimate nearly 4 billion American chestnut trees across North America…
The planting is part of NYRP's ongoing effort to help return the American chestnut to its native range.”
