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Professional Forester Mike Fiaoni of the Missouri Department of Conservation with an Ozark Chinquapin research test plot in Dent County Missouri. These trees are protected with grow tubes to protect them from deer and rodents and improve their growth.
An Ozark Chinquapin seed with a root sprouting from it. B. Shows where I cut away the end of the seed with the root and the petiole is visible in the seed. C. Shows the nut with a twig (scion wood from resistant tree) inserted into the nut. D. shows the bud beginning to swell and the new roots forming near the graft union. The twig will be a duplicate of the resistant tree and the rootstock will have the DNA of the nut. Simular nut grafts done with American Chestnuts have had some of the grafts produce pollen and nuts the first year.
Cooperation Across State Borders – In May 2007 representatives from Arkansas and Missouri met at Harrison Arkansas to discuss future plans on expanding restoration work on the Ozark Chinquapin. Among topics discussed was pollination efforts, searching for surviving trees with some level of resistance, size of grow pots, use of grow tubes, establishing new test plots, interagency cooperation, and research. Pictured clockwise are Mike Fiaoni (Missouri, MDC), C.D. Scott (Arkansas, NPS), Chuck Bitting (Arkansas, NPS), Mark Depoy (Arkansas, NPS), Stephen Bost (OCF), Ray Wiggs (Arkansas, NPS), and John Logan(Missouri, DNR).
This Ozark Chinquapin was found by the dedicated professionals at Buffalo National Scenic Riverway in Arkansas. Trees like this are good candidates to collect pollen, grafts, and seed from. Unfortunately, this tree is showing evidence of the blight. However, this tree survived many years producing nuts before getting the blight.
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