The Return of the American Chestnut

The American chestnut once flourished in the Appalachian landscape and most of the eastern United States until a fungus nearly wiped out the species in the early 1900s. It was a terrible loss: these magnificent trees with their large trunks and plentiful nuts were known as the “Redwoods of the East.”

As stewards of the land, Massey teams are working with botanists and forestry experts at West Virginia University and the American Chestnut Foundation to return the trees to Appalachia.

In 2008, an orchard of this blight resistant hybrid chestnut was planted on a reclaimed surface mine in Boone County, West Virginia. The new tree – 15/16 American chestnut and 1/16 Chinese chestnut – grows best in soil conditions found on reclaimed land.

Marshal Case, President and CEO of the American Chestnut Foundation said, “The American Chestnut Foundation has made tremendous strides in research and we are pleased to be part of the replanting of the American chestnut on reclaimed land in Appalachia.”

Thomas Cook, Massey’s Director of Environmental Affairs, also serves as the President of the West Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation.

To help celebrate Arbor Day in April, Massey members joined approximately 90 students from Madison Middle School to plant nearly 1,000 trees on reclaimed land. The company plans to continue working with West Virginia University and the American Chestnut Foundation to monitor the nursery’s progress and further develop the species for future plantings.

“The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative’s (ARRI) progress has been incredible in developing more ecologically sound methods for establishing forests on previously mined land. Working with partners like Massey Energy, The American Chestnut Foundation, and West Virginia University, ARRI is helping to ensure a future for these mighty giants in the Appalachian Region.”
Marshal Case, President and CEO of the American Chestnut Foundation