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What Happened To The American Chestnut Tree? : Short Wave In the early 20th century, a blight fungus wiped out most of the 4 billion American chestnut trees on the eastern seaboard. The loss was ecologically devastating. Pod reporter Emily Kwong tells us how scientists are trying to resurrect the American chestnut tree — and recent controversy over a plan to plant genetically modified chestnuts in the wild.

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What Happened To The American Chestnut Tree?

What Happened To The American Chestnut Tree?

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An open burr of the American chestnut tree. Functionally extinct since the mid-20th century, the American Chestnut Foundation has been spearheading a multi-pronged approach to bring the tree back to life. The American Chestnut Foundation hide caption

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The American Chestnut Foundation

An open burr of the American chestnut tree. Functionally extinct since the mid-20th century, the American Chestnut Foundation has been spearheading a multi-pronged approach to bring the tree back to life.

The American Chestnut Foundation

In the early 20th century, a blight fungus wiped out most of the 4 billion American chestnut trees on the eastern seaboard. The loss was ecologically devastating. Pod reporter Emily Kwong tells us how scientists are trying to resurrect the American chestnut tree — and recent controversy over a plan to plant genetically modified chestnuts in the wild.

Follow Host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia and Emily Kwong @emilykwong1234. And email the show at shortwave@npr.org.