American Chestnut

The Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree

Susan Freinkel

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Paperback

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English

University of California Press
01 April 2009

Memoirs; Conservation of the environment; Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques; Trees, wildflowers & plants

"The American chestnut was one of America's most common, valued, and beloved trees-a ""perfect tree"" that ruled the forests from Georgia to Maine. But in the early twentieth century, an exotic plague swept through the chestnut forests with the force of a wildfire. Within forty years, the blight had killed close to four billion trees and left the species teetering on the brink of extinction. It was one of the worst ecological blows to North America since the Ice Age-and one most experts considered beyond repair. In American Chestnut, Susan Freinkel tells the dramatic story of the stubborn optimists who refused to let this cultural icon go. In a compelling weave of history, science, and personal observation, she relates their quest to save the tree through methods that ranged from classical plant breeding to cutting-edge gene technology. But the heart of her story is the cast of unconventional characters who have fought for the tree for a century, undeterred by setbacks or skeptics, and fueled by their dreams of restored forests and their powerful affinity for a fellow species."

By: Susan Freinkel
Imprint: University of California Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 408g
ISBN: 9780520259942
ISBN 10: 0520259947
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 01 April 2009
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Susan Freinkel is a freelance science journalist whose feature writing has appeared in Discover, Health, Smithsonian, and the Reader's Digest, among many national magazines.

Reviews for American Chestnut: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree

A moving portrait... Freinkel's fine reportage sparkles. --Natural History A tale of the functional extinction of what was once one of the most economically valuable and ecologically important trees. --American Scientist Engrossing and compelling. --American Studies Journal Will not disappoint! --Picayune Item Highly recommend it to anyone who cares about nature and perhaps this should be a required reading for all biology/ecology/environmental science students. --Wildlife Activist