Politics · India Bureau
American chestnut saplings return to Bronx Zoo after 120 years
The Bronx Zoo has planted 25 hybrid chestnut saplings in New York City, marking the species' return to the facility after more than a century. The initiative represents part of broader restoration efforts for a tree species that once dominated eastern North America before devastating blight wiped out billions of specimens.
LSN India ·
The American chestnut, once a cornerstone of forests across eastern North America, is making a comeback at the Bronx Zoo following an absence of over 120 years. The zoo, in partnership with the New York Restoration Project, has planted 25 hybrid saplings as part of an ambitious effort to revive the species in its native habitat.
The American chestnut was devastated by a fungal blight that swept through North America in the early 20th century, killing nearly 4 billion trees. The disease was first documented at the Bronx Zoo site, making the current planting initiative a symbolic restoration of the location's natural heritage.
The saplings represent hybrid varieties developed through selective breeding programmes designed to combine the characteristics of the American chestnut with disease-resistant traits. These hybrid trees are being cultivated as part of a larger strategy to reintroduce the species across its former range.
The Bronx Zoo's initiative reflects growing interest in ecological restoration and species recovery programmes across North America. Scientists and conservationists view the return of the American chestnut as a significant step toward restoring forest ecosystems and reviving a species that shaped the landscape for centuries.