Maine Biologist’s Chestnuts Thrive, Defying Extinction and GM-Only Restoration

In Maine, biologist Dr. Bernd Heinrich’s land hosts thousands of wild American chestnut trees regenerating naturally after the blight nearly wiped them out, with three generations of trees mapped across decades. A new documentary highlights this natural comeback and suggests a northward range shift due to climate change, challenging the narrative that restoration must rely solely on genetically engineered trees and noting the American Chestnut Foundation’s withdrawal of support for GM approaches.