Scientists estimate there were roughly 4 BILLION American chestnut trees in the Eastern United States before the blight hit in the early twentieth century. The American chestnut was one of the most abundant and productive trees in North America at the time, growing up to 100 feet tall on average and producing tons of nutrient-rich nuts every year. American chestnuts were a critical part of forest ecosystems and a prized source of food and timber 🌰 Then, in 1904, a blight hit the America chestnut trees in the Bronx Zoo. This blight was a fungal disease that killed the trees’ inner bark, which hindered the flow of nutrients and water to the leaves, flowers, and stems. By 1940, the American chestnut was considered functionally extinct💔 What does “functionally extinct” mean? “Functional extinction” refers to when a species is no longer viable, i.e. no longer able to reproduce. Despite its demise as a lumber and nut crop species, the American chestnut is not fully extinct. The blight cannot kill the underground root system as the fungus is unable to compete with soil microorganisms. Stump sprouts grow vigorously in cutover or disturbed sites where there is plenty of sunlight, but inevitably succumb to the blight. This cycle of death and rebirth has kept the species alive, though most plants are not able to make it to maturity and produce fruit 🌱 This is why researchers from The American Chestnut Foundation (@theamericanchestnutfoundation) have been working to breed an American chestnut that is resistant to the blight, and why the New York Restoration Project wants YOU to gather data to help further this research 🤝 (fb)

Not these guys again 🙄 But don’t worry…our #UrbanAg team has got you covered with pest management resources 😉 You have probably started seeing these little spotted bugs hopping around this past week or so 👀 While they might look harmless, they are detrimental to #NYC plant life 🌱  The good news is: in late May/early June, the Spotted Lanternflies in NYC are in their nymph phase, which means they are both easy to identify and small enough to handle 💪 If you see one, squish it ❌ But if you have a bigger infestation, our #UrbanAgriculture team recommends spraying the insects DIRECTLY with a mixture of pure Neem oil diluted with water and a small amount of biodegradable dish soap like Dr. Bronner’s 🧼 Please note: the Neem spray only works if you spray it directly on the Lanternfly nymphs — it does not do anything if you spray it on plants where there are no nymphs💧  For more pest management tips from our #UrbanAgriculture team, go to nyrp.org/urbanagriculture or clink in our bio! ➡️ (fb)