CT – Screening of the Documentary “Clear Day Thunder” – Middle Haddam

On Thursday, April 25, Christ Church on 66 Middle Haddam Road in Middle Haddam will host a screening of “Clear Day Thunder”. The 52-minute documentary describes the rescuing of the American Chestnut tree.

The screening will take place in the Christ Church Middle Haddam parish hall and run from 7-8:30 pm. Free parking for the event is at the rear of the church on Long Hill Road. Admission is free.

The American chestnut once dominated portions of the eastern U.S. forests, from Maine to Mississippi. Numbering in billions, the tree was one of the tallest and fastest growing in those regions. Pollinators depended on the flowers, and wildlife, livestock, and people relied on its nutritious nut. Tall and fast-growing, the tree’s wood was rot-resistant and straight-grained, making it an excellent source of lumber.

In the late 1800s a deadly blight was inadvertently imported to the U.S. from Asia as global horticultural trade increased. The American chestnut had no resistance and in fewer than 50 years the fungus had eliminated it as a mature forest tree, rendering it functionally extinct.

“Clear Day Thunder” features interviews with scientists, volunteers, and luminaries. Best-selling author Barbara Kingsolver, Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, country music legend Dolly Parton, and former President Jimmy Carter are just a few of the well-known figures committed to this historic conservation effort.