Canadian Chestnut Council - Stewardship agreement to help protect or recover a species at risk

On March 14, 2022, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks issued a stewardship agreement under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 to the Steward concerning American Chestnut.

The stewardship agreement authorizes the proponent to impact American Chestnut to assist in its recovery by promoting demographically viable and genetically fit populations of the species which exhibit a high tolerance to Chestnut blight at various locations throughout Ontario.

Protecting species under the Endangered Species Act

The Minister may enter into agreements for the purpose of assisting in the protection or recovery of a species specified in the agreement that is listed on the Species at Risk in Ontario List.

An American Chestnut government response statement was published in May 2013. Consideration was given to the GRS and the proposed agreement aligns with the objectives outlined in the GRS, including:

• Developing and implementing a standardized survey monitoring program for naturally occurring populations of American Chestnut.
• Identifying and assessing planted populations of American Chestnut across Ontario
• Conserving and enhancing genetic diversity of American Chestnuts through the establishment of quarantined plantations and facilitated propagation in naturally occurring populations
• Investigating the effectiveness of producing a modified American Chestnut with genes from blight-resistant or blight-tolerant Chestnut species
• Investigating the effectiveness of breeding American Chestnut with other American Chestnuts for blight resistance
• Investigating the effectiveness of inoculating the species with a viral infection to weaken the blight fungus and decrease the species' vulnerability to the disease

Actions to minimize adverse effects to species

The terms and conditions of the agreement require the Steward to minimize adverse effects on American Chestnut.

The conditions are based on the best available knowledge of the biology/ecology of the species. These conditions minimize adverse effects on the species by requiring the Steward to:

• Ensure any activity undertaken to implement the stewardship project is undertaken by an experienced and qualified individual with expert knowledge of American Chestnut
• Ensure that all phytosanitary procedures necessary to avoid the spread of Chestnut blight and other diseases of American Chestnut to mitigate their effects on populations are followed
• Ensure the most appropriate techniques are used when collecting propagules from in situ populations of American Chestnut
• Ensure when collecting fruit or seed from in situ populations of American Chestnut that the collections do not result in a weakening of the populations demographic viability or lowering it genetic fitness
• Ensure when establishing a cultivated population of American Chestnut or American Chestnut hybrids the population size is demographically viable and that the population is located in an area that has environmental attributes conducive to the survival of members of the species
• Ensure when maintaining a cultivated ex situ population of American Chestnut or American Chestnut hybrids that it follows protocols that minimize unintended harm from pests and pathogens, deleterious effects of genetic drift, unintentional artificial selection, inbreeding and unintentional interbreeding and quality standards that maximize their propagative potential and provide conditions for the development of seedlings that minimize rates of morbidity and mortality
• Ensure when establishing American Chestnut saplings, trees or grafts, or undertaking artificial pollination, within in situ populations of American Chestnut that appropriate techniques and protocols are used

Other information

The main threats to American Chestnut are Chestnut blight which is a fungal disease that seems to be an overwhelming threat as well as loss and degradation of habitat.

American Chestnut populations in Ontario are gravely threatened by Chestnut blight, with many trees surviving only as stumps with coppice shoots, while large mature trees are considered extremely rare. The Ontario population is unlikely to become self-sustaining without effective measures to control or halt the impact of Chestnut blight.

In southwestern Ontario, American Chestnut populations have been reduced to less than one percent of the original 1.5 to 2 million trees. The species' native range in Ontario accounts for less than five percent of its native range in North America.

The recovery action with the greater potential to establish blight resistance in American Chestnut in a reasonable time appears to be the production of a modified American Chestnut with genes from blight-resistant or blight-tolerant Chestnut species.