{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Backcross: The Past, Present and Future of American Chestnut","description":"A hundred years ago, the American chestnut was the redwood of the East. It was big, and it was everywhere, especially in the southern Appalachians. But, today, it\u2019s just a shrub and is, functionally, extinct. With chestnuts having gone through such a dramatic decline, restoration has been a priority, and it\u2019s been a restoration effort unlike many others. It\u2019s been one of the most passionate efforts an American tree has ever seen. Related Research:  American Chestnut Oral History Project (2009) American Chestnut Restoration (NRS) \u201cReintroduction of American Chestnut in the National Forest System\u201d (2014) \u201cAmerican Chestnut: A Test Case for Genetic Engineering?\u201d (2014) \u201cGrowth, Survival, and Competitive Ability of Chestnut Seedlings Planted Across a Gradient of Light Levels\u201d (2017) \u201cRestoration of the American Chestnut Will Require More Than a Blight-Resistant Tree\u201d (2020)  Scientists:  Leila Pinchot, Research Ecologist, Northern Research Station, Delaware, Ohio Bethany Baxter, American Chestnut Oral History Project, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Ella Preston, American Chestnut Oral History Project, Letcher County, Kentucky Harding Ison, American Chestnut Oral History Project, Letcher County, Kentucky James Mullins, American Chestnut Oral History Project, Dickenson County, Virginia  Produced by the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station. Want more information? Visit us at https:\/\/www.fs.usda.gov\/research\/nrs\/products\/multimedia\/podcasts\/forestcast-season-2-backcross-episode-3-past-present-and-future Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at: jonathan.yales@usda.gov ","author_name":"Forestcast","author_url":"http:\/\/forestservice.libsyn.com\/website","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/22272176\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/170417898"}