I have two American Chestnut trees that succumbed to blight and did not leaf out this year. Both are about 7" diameter at the base and about 25' tall. I am going to cut them down but before I cut them up, is there any special care I should take to dry them. I figure folks might want sections for a riser, a walking stick, knife handles. One of them fruited last fall and I have saved the burs for the American Chestnut Foundation.

There is a university that has genetically engineered the American Chestnut to be like gut immune. They crossed a gene from the wheat germ that makes them immune and retains 100% of the American species traits. It's waiting on government approval for widespread planting since it is a GMO. Some experts estimate that it will become the predominant tree in the NE within the next 150 years. It's fast growing and great for lumber. Easy to farm and the fruit has an economy of its own.

Mark I would treat the wood as I would bow wood that is seal the ends as you cut the wood up. I hope this helps. Gary

That is too bad but I can recommend the Dunstan Chestnut. A hybrid that is disease resistant and great for deer and turkeys. Just Google it and you will find them. Big growing difference between full sun and partial sun I have found out.

What no dark said. Most anything will work, old latex paint, sanding sealer. You get the idea. Avoid leaving them lay in the sun.

That sounds about par for the course. If you leave the stump intact, you might get some stump sprouts that will regrow. If so, you'll probably get a few years growth out of the sprouts before the blight kills them off. I too am hopeful that with the genetics, one day our grandchildren/great grandchildren can see this once great tree thriving in the woods again.

As others have said, just seal the ends up good and keep them out of direct sunlight. I have used paint, Elmers wood glue and wax with good success.

I sent some old growth cuttings, harvested from tobacco barns in Virginia, to Knifeguy a while back and he made some pretty nice looking knife scales with them!!

My 'third quarter' in the forests of Southern Appalachia has been informative and humbling. You spend your life roving the woods and you think you know what's there and what's going on. The native dogwoods mostly died out between 2001 and 2004. The black cherries took a hit in 2005-2007. The black locusts, especially those under 8", were hit hard by the droughts in 2009-2011. The American beech, especially, is filling in and it is an entirely different forest...widespread limbs that are impossible to shoot through , golden tan leaves that hang on until February. Throughout, the tulip poplars keep climbing straight and tall, 150' to the sky.The Chestnut Oak, key to Asheville's economic survival in the last century, is coming back strong. There are at least 10 oak species on my 2.5 acres. These two chestnuts, 10 feet apart, jump started when my building site was cleared , presumably from roots going back decades. I'll seal the ends and store the logs in a cool, shaded spot under the deck.

Chestnut makes great turkey calls. Nice knife jaz5833

I also have a couple of wormy chestnut box calls, I think they were made from old barn floors. Very nice calls

gorgeous box calls, color me green with envy...

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