Fall Seminar Series

GE American Chestnut: Counting Chestnuts Before They Ripen

Hybrid | Explore the scientific, ethical, and environmental issues which have impacted research, release, and deregulation of a transgenic American chestnut.

Sara Fern Fitzsimmons, MS

Chief Conservation Officer at The American Chestnut Foundation / Penn State University | Profile

Sara Fern Fitzsimmons has worked at Penn State University with The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) since 2003, assisting chestnut growers and researchers throughout the Appalachian Mountains. Born and raised in southern West Virginia (Hinton), Sara studied Biology at Drew University in Madison, NJ. She then received a Master’s degree in forest ecology and resource management from Duke University’s Nicholas School, enriched by statistics and tree improvement courses at NCSU. After a short stint as an editorial assistant at All About Beer Magazine, Sara returned to the forestry field, where she has been ever since. Sara hopes her research and professional work will facilitate long-term conservation and restoration of native tree species at risk from exotic pests and diseases.

Abstract

The Darling 58 (D58) transgenic American chestnut was poised to be a transformational product for forest health, one that could hold the key to a suite of forest health issues. For conservationists, landowners, and tree enthusiasts across the US, the excitement was palpable as the project seemingly neared deregulation with government agencies. But in the short span of a few months across 2023, a suite of scientific, ecological, and ethical concerns unraveled much of that promise, as everything that was “known” about D58 was called into question. Early reports about field performance started surfacing in early 2023, with variability in blight tolerance, growth deficiencies, and increased mortality rates casting doubts on D58’s competence for long-term restoration. That performance was further compromised when scientists visited a field trial showcasing “canker blowouts” in Indiana, suggesting that D58 trees may “silence” the transgene when challenged too long with disease. Shortly after that, a “switched at birth” scenario was verified, revealing that Darling 58 (D58) was, in fact, Darling 54 (D54), and uncovered the potential for negative ecological consequences. Finally, the involvement of a for-profit entity raised financial and ethical dilemmas, sparking suspicions of conflicts of interest and prioritizing profit over ecological integrity. Questions about transparency and accountability were brought to the forefront, as public trust in the use of genetically modified organisms for forest health could hang in the balance with the next steps taken on the transgenic American chestnut project.

Related links:

• What happened to Darling 58?
• Chestnut Restoration and Tribal Sovereignty
• When Biotechnology Goes “Wild”: GE Chestnut Trees
• The politics of genetic technoscience for conservation: The case of blight-resistant American chestnut
• Biotechnology, the American Chestnut, and Public Engagement

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GES Colloquium is jointly taught by Drs. Dawn Rodriguez-Ward and Katie Barnhill, who you may contact with any class-specific questions. The Podcast is produced by Patti Mulligan. Colloquium will be held in person in the 1911 Building, room 129, and live-streamed via Zoom.

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