Carolinas Zoos Swap Trees

Two rare American chestnut trees, grown as seedlings in an NC Zoo greenhouse nursery, were presented to (and planted at) Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia, S.C. on Earth Day, April 22.

NC Zoo arbor supervisor Robert McCrory presented the trees to Satch Krantz, executive director, Riverbanks during a re-introduction and dedication ceremony.

American chestnut trees grew high (more than 100 feet) and wide (over 60-inch diameter) and thrived from northern Florida up into Maine prior to a fungus blight in the early 1900's. By mid-last-century, almost all of an estimated 4 billion trees were dead. (From NPR this morning, I know if you could have counted those trees and it took you just one second per tree, it would take you about 130 years to count them all - they were counting dollars on NPR.)

Trees North Carolina (of Asheboro, NC) and the South Carolina Forestry Commission initiated the swap.