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The Bronx Zoo has planted twenty hybrid American Chestnut saplings as part of a city-wide initiative to revive the species ravaged by a deadly fungus since 1904. Craig Piper, interim director of the Bronx Zoo, and Jason Smith from the New York Restoration Project highlight the historic significance of reintroducing chestnuts after a century-long absence. The hybrid trees are resilient against the blight but may still be affected, serving as both research specimens and educational exhibits for zoo visitors.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo, in partnership with the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) and The American Chestnut Foundation, planted 25 hybrid American chestnut saplings on October 5th. This marks a significant restoration effort for a species once abundant but now considered "functionally extinct" due to a deadly blight that began its spread in the Bronx Zoo over 120 years ago. The original American chestnut was one of the largest and most vital trees in eastern US forests, with nearly 4 billion being killed by the fungus since its discovery. These new saplings are hybrids designed to be more resistant to the blight, though they may still contract it as they grow.
Written for “American Chestnut Revival” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Twenty American Chestnut saplings were scattered across three sites at the sprawling conservation center, including at the footsteps of Tiger Mountain, as part of a city-wide effort to breathe life back into the species.
asserted
saplings → scatter → species
“It’s historic for us.
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It → ’ → us
We haven’t had chestnuts on property here for a hundred years,” Craig Piper, the interim director of the Bronx Zoo, told The Post as he watched his team tenderly plant the tiny trees.
asserted
team → have → trees
“The thought of bringing them back and bringing them to once again be part of the hardwood forests of New York City, that’s exciting for us,” he said.
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he → bring → us
The zoo’s mini forest, erected in conjunction with the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), marks the first time American Chestnuts have been on the zoo’s property since its former Chief Forester discovered a “deadly fungus” was eating away at the gorgeous, 100-foot-tall trees.
asserted
fungus → erect → trees
Hermann Merkel was the first to document the blight in 1904 — writing that “unless some radical measures are taken, or a natural enemy of this fungus develops, it is safe to predict that not a live specimen of the American Chestnut will be found two years hence in the neighborhood of the Zoological Park,” the former name of the Bronx Zoo.
The blight would go on to decimate nearly 4 billion American chestnut trees across North America, rendering it “functionally extinct.”
But the 20 saplings aren’t exactly the same trees whose canopy once blanketed the US — the 3-foot-tall trees planted Monday are a hybrid mix that horticulturalists hope will make them stronger against the blight they expect to eventually creep onto the trees.
“These trees most likely will get the disease, and it will impact them.
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it → document → them
we also expect them to grow,” said Jason Smith, the NYRP’s Director, Northern Manhattan Parks, saying that the “worst-case scenario” would be that the trees wouldn’t flower and reproduce.
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trees → expect → ?
And so the opportunity to bring it back is wonderful.”
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opportunity → bring → it
The trees will also serve as a research opportunity — they will be under constant observation by the zoo’s horticulture staff to see how the saplings are faring.
Seventeen were planted across two plots along the Bronx River in order to receive maximum sunlight and less traffic, while three live in the shadier footpath north of Tiger Mountain where they are essentially on exhibit like their neighboring felines — visitors will get a first-hand look at their growth and zoologists will point out their story as they take families through the park.
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they → serve → park
“We’re inviting New Yorkers to engage in hands-on, important work to address the biodiversity crisis by bringing back a tree that was on the brink of extinction,” said Smith.
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Smith → invite → extinction
Just around 400 American Chestnut trees exist in the five boroughs, nearly all of which were planted by the NYRP with the help of the American Chestnut Foundation.
asserted
all → exist → Foundation
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