The American Chestnut as Ecological Infrastructure: Socio-Economic Implications of Keystone Species Loss
Ecosystem Restoration and Management F. William Coffey
The American chestnut ( Castanea dentata ) was a rot-resistant, fast growing hardwood tree that was once a dominant canopy species across eastern hardwood forests and comprised a significant portion of Appalachian hardwood overstory composition. It functioned as ecological and economic infrastructure, serving as a durable timber source, a reliable producer of mast crops and a crucial component of regional tanning and livestock industries. Following the introduction of chestnut blight ( Cryphonectria parasitica ) into the United States in the early twentieth century, billions of trees were lost within only a few decades. As a consequence, the American chestnut is no longer viable as a large-scale timber or food source. This project argues that the loss of the American chestnut was not merely an ecological collapse, but also a cultural and socio-economic inflection point that altered patterns of subsistence and resource dependence in Appalachia. By removing a multi-purpose resource base, chestnut blight weakened regional subsistence systems and increased economic vulnerability in an already isolated region during a period of broad industrial transition. A review of historical records including economic data, forest composition literature, ethnobotany sources and archives is used to evaluate the ecological and socio-economic consequences of the American chestnut’s decline. The American chestnut’s decline offers a historical case study in how keystone species loss can have consequences that affect social and economic systems, providing insights into how future forest health crises may impact rural economies in an era of increasing globalization and climate change.
Advisors: Holly Petrillo, Ph.D.
Subject Area: Forestry Human Dimensions
Type: Oral
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Jim and Katie Krause CNR Student Research Symposium
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