Hey. Americans. Easterners.
https://acf.org/resources-deregulation-darling58/
Go ask for Darling 58 to be deregulated so it can be sold and grown freely across the east
We can finally save the American Chestnut tree and revitalize the eastern woodland ecosystem
For context, the American Chestnut used to be a giant in the woods; 25% of eastern woodland trees were chestnuts. Then the blight arrived and killed them all; only the roots survived, and the sprouts the pop up can't grow big enough to produce new trees. The species has been dying ever since.
But we can bring it back! Finally!
This is not a Chinese chestnut crossbreed. This is a 100% pure American Chestnut with the tiny little addition of a gene from wheat which makes the chestnut blight harmless to them! An incredible feat!
If the chestnut is deregulated, we can plant it in yards, landscapes, etc. and it can be cross-pollinated with any surviving trees in the wild. We can return them to the forests. We've been missing them for decades.
This page contains some information as well as a link to a page where the USDA is accepting PUBLIC FEEDBACK. There aren't even 4000 comments. It's for PUBLIC FEEDBACK. THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. We can do better than four thousand measly comments.
It would mean so much to the world to return this tree to the woods. They were an extraordinary source of food for wildlife and humans, they cast shade over the woods and varied the canopy, their timber was naturally rot-resistant and led to long-lasting buildings. They provided shelter from storms. They were absolutely gigantic. And now, we could have that be present tense instead of past.
Science can bring this marvel back. Go write a comment and ask for Darling 58 to be deregulated. You don't need to know fancy terminology; just say that.
Thank you.
