Posted: February 15, 2021

An online, interactive course on the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) (use Edge or Chrome) is now available from the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station. The course is available for free to anyone through a simple registration process.

The learner will be introduced to the basic ecology and silvics, cultural importance, historical significance, and demise of the tree species that once occupied 200 million acres in the eastern U.S. The American chestnut was once one of the most abundant and common tree species in the eastern United States before it was virtually eliminated by non-native species, most notably, the chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica). American chestnut wood was highly valued for its rot resistance, and the nuts were traded for a variety of goods and services in rural Appalachian communities. The course includes a glossary with over 70 scientific terms, links to dendrology tables, external webpages, and published scientific papers, and the learner can download these various resources. The course is self-paced and will take approximately one hour to complete. A certificate of completion qualifies for 1 CFE credit with the Society of American Foresters. The course was developed by Stacy Clark, research forester with the Southern Research Station and adjunct faculty in the Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries at the University of Tennessee. To access the course and registration instructions, please visit this webpage using Edge or Chrome: https://srs.fs.usda.gov/products/courses/#chestnut. If you have questions regarding the course, please contact Stacy Clark at stacy.l.clark@usda.gov or 865-318-8391.

Article by: Stacy Clark, PhD, Research Forester, Southern Research Station, US Forest Service

James C. Finley Center for Private Forests

Address

416 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802

James C. Finley Center for Private Forests

Address

416 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802