The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust invites the public to learn about the efforts to restore the American chestnut. Join Tom Klak, for a live webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. to discuss seven major points about American chestnut restoration projects here in Maine.

Klak is a professor in the School of Marine and Environmental Programs at the University of New England, and the vice president and chair of Gene Conservation at The American Chestnut Foundation’s Maine Chapter. The presentation will focus on seven points about the American chestnut restoration, including its historical importance, how the fungal blight wiped chestnuts out, building blight-tolerance through transgenics, the importance of rescuing native genetic diversity from remaining wild trees, UNE’s approach to breeding chestnuts, and Maine’s first blight-tolerant American chestnut trees created this summer. One of the important chestnut orchards for gene conservation is at the Schoener Forest near Georgetown (see photo).

American chestnut restoration efforts are currently in a crucial moment where their biotech approach is under review at USDA. There is a public comment period open until October 19.

Participants will receive a Zoom link to the web-based lecture following their registration and again before the event. For more information or to register, visit https://www.kennebecestuary.org/upcoming-events/2020/10/7/restoring-the-american-chestnut-through-biotechnology or call (207) 442-8400. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions in the registration link and the chat box during the meeting.

For more information, visit www.kennebecestuary.org or call (207) 442-8400.