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Chestnut Chat: A Half-Century of Recovery Efforts for the Endangered Virginia Round-leaf Birch
February 21 @ 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Join us on Friday, February 21, 2025, from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (Eastern), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat.
Special guest Dr. Terry Sharik, Research Professor at the Michigan Tech School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (bio), will provide an overview of efforts aimed at the recovery of the endangered Virginia round-leaf birch (Betula uber) over the past half century.
TACF’s work with the American chestnut resonates across ecosystem and species restoration efforts nationally and worldwide. Saving imperiled trees takes many forms scientifically, logistically, organizationally, and culturally. While all of these efforts proceed ‘on tree time’, unique motivations for the trees’ return, their public appeal, and how this work carries on across generations is unique to each species. We invite you to join us in learning about a rare and endemic Appalachian tree — the Virginia round-leaf birch (Betula uber) — as a fascinating example of opportunities for cross-species lessons as we continue on our path toward American chestnut restoration.
While B. uber does not currently contend with any lethal specialist pathogens and does not claim an ethnobotanical niche similar to chestnut, its story is one of multi-decadal resilience, dwindling remnant populations, gene inheritance tracking, propagation challenges, and other aspects that will be familiar to chestnut enthusiasts. Dr. Terry Sharik will also highlight progeny test and reintroduction population work, as well as silvicultural treatments, toward population fecundity and fitness assessments which are currently advanced beyond the data available in American chestnut reintroduction.
Dr. Sharik will address six major areas specified in the recovery plan, the first for a plant under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. These include: (1) maintenance and expansion of the natural population; (2) establishment of (self-sustaining) additional populations in the wild; (3) continued searches for other natural populations; (4) determination of systematic relationships with other birch species; (5) retention of existing germplasm through cultivation; and (6) implementation of educational programs. Background reading for the presentation can be found in Virginia Forests magazine.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE (via Zoom Webinar)
Pre-registration is required to attend this event. Pre-register here. After registering you will receive a unique URL link to join the event on the day of the chat. You can also add the event to your calendar from the webinar registration approval page. The meeting will open 15 minutes prior to the start time to allow an audio and video test.
