By JAIME VANDERLEUVENSON and the EBCI NATURAL RESOURCES DEPT.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ (EBCI) American chestnut restoration initiative has entered a phase of community outreach. The EBCI Natural Resources Department is currently working to implement restoration activities within Tribal forests―including the potential restoration of the American chestnut―and is looking for EBCI citizens’ input. The USDA Forest Service is also interested in EBCI citizens’ perspectives about chestnut restoration more broadly. These two entities are working together to reach as many EBCI citizens as possible with the goal of approaching American chestnut restoration on Aniyvwiyah (Cherokee) homelands in a way that reflects EBCI values.
Chinese chestnut in Haywood County. (Photo courtesy of Jaime Vanderleuvenson)
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reopened the public comment period recently on a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) drafted in response to the petition seeking deregulation of the genetically modified chestnut tree known as Darling 54 (formerly known as Darling 58).
This means the U.S. government is sharing their research into the environmental impacts of introducing a genetically modified chestnut tree into US forests and are asking for your opinion.
The comment period ends on July 21. Any comments you make can be anonymous.
You can leave your comment and view others by going here:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/APHIS-2020-0030-17582.
You can view the EIS, PPRA, as well as the original and subsequent petitions for the deregulation of the genetically modified chestnut tree here:
https://www.regulations.gov/search?filter=APHIS-2020-0030.
Darling 54 is a chestnut tree that was genetically engineered in a lab at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) in hopes of creating a blight resistant chestnut tree. A gene from the wheat plant was spliced into the genome of an American chestnut tree (Castanea dentata) to help the tree make an enzyme – oxalate oxidase – that is thought to increase survival against the chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica).
American chestnut and the EBCI:
American chestnut has been a culturally significant tree for Aniyvwiyah for thousands of years and continues to be part of EBCI culture today (example, chestnut bread). However, much of Aniyvwiyah’s relationship with American chestnut has been altered through the loss of mature trees from the chestnut blight. Few people remember American chestnut before the blight, when it constituted one-quarter to one-half of the trees in the forest. The EBCI Natural Resources Department is hoping to connect with folks who have historical and contemporary viewpoints about American chestnut restoration.
Who is involved?
The EBCI Natural Resources Department partnered with the USDA Forest Service to fund an ORISE Fellow (Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education) to assist with community outreach. The ORISE fellow is Jaime Vanderleuvenson (formerly, Van Leuven), who previously conducted the American chestnut survey of Tribal Reserve (Cherokee One Feather June 20, 2023). Vanderleuvenson is working with the EBCI Natural Resources Department to engage EBCI citizens in reflecting on how American chestnut is important to the EBCI and sharing their perspective about how the EBCI Natural Resources Department should approach restoring this tree to the Qualla Boundary and within broader Aniyvwiyah homelands.
A team is advising Vanderleuvenson with this work, including Tommy Cabe, EBCI Forest Resource Specialist, Mike LaVoie, EBCI Natural Resources Director, Michelle Baumflek, Forest Service Research Biologist, who has worked with the Tribe on culturally significant plants since 2016, and Stacy Clark, Forest Service Research Forester who specializes in American chestnut and white oak. Additionally, Tyson Sampson, EBCI Earth Keeper and Community Researcher, has been advising Jaime on how to be in respectful relationship with EBCI citizens.
Why restoration now and why your voice is important:
Since the chestnut blight in the early 1900s, American chestnut is considered “functionally extinct” on the landscape – meaning it is still present, but rarely able to grow large enough to produce nuts. This is why Chinese chestnuts have mostly replaced American chestnuts in the EBCI cultural food, chestnut bread (Chinese chestnuts are larger, but less sweet, so some sugar is often added). So, why are we talking about restoring American chestnut to the Qualla Boundary now? Because the methods the Natural Resources Department engages in could impact citizens’ relationship with this culturally significant plant.
Aniyvwiyah stewardship of American chestnut:
Prior to the chestnut blight, Aniyvwiyah engaged in a reciprocal relationship with American chestnut for millennia. American chestnut provided nutrition for Aniyvwiyah while Aniyvwiyah provided ideal growing conditions for the trees to flourish. Some of these historic land stewardship practices could be integrated into the Natural Resources Department’s plans for stewarding EBCI forests for American chestnut.
Reach out with questions to Jaime Vanderleuvenson, ORISE Fellow heading up the community outreach for the EBCI Natural Resources Department regarding the chestnut project) at jaime.vanleuven@usda.gov or (603) 440-9812.
