The Wild
American Chestnut:
A Giant Returns
Screening at the New Moon Mycology Summit Friday, September 11th @ 7:30pm
This 21 minute film by Global Justice Ecology Project documents the thousands of thriving, wild American chestnut trees on the land of renowned biologist Dr. Bernd Heinrich—contradicting decades of assumptions about the trees’ decline. The three generations of wild American chestnut trees growing on Bernd Heinrich's land, numbering in the thousands, are rewriting the story of a species once thought lost. Their resilience challenges the widespread claim that only genetic engineering can restore the species. Dr. Bernd Heinrich is a biologist, naturalist, and author of A Year in the Maine Woods and 20+ other books.
After the film, join us for a Q + A and Discussion with the creators and Chestnut experts from the Northeast
Lois Breault-Melican & Denis Melican
Denis earned his degree from Quinsigamond Community College, while Lois completed her studies at Becker College, which including a horticulture certificate. Subsequently, Lois attended the New England School of Gardening at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill as well as Clark University. Denis served as a Park Supervisor and Lois was an Interpretive Coordinator at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation. Both participated in programs at the Arnold Arboretum’s Institute for Cultural and Historic Landscape Studies and attended Radcliffe Seminars. Their goal is to work with American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation (ACCF), local chestnut farmers, local land trusts and others to reintroduce healthy, pure, non GE, American chestnuts into the forested landscape and selected garden locations.
Anne Peterman
Anne Petermann is the Co-Founder of Global Justice Ecology Project and Co-Founder and International Coordinator of the Campaign to STOP GE trees. For more than three decades, she has been a leading advocate for forest protection, Indigenous rights, and climate justice, helping to establish influential international networks and campaigns while participating in major UN climate, biodiversity, and forest forums. An internationally recognized speaker and author, Anne brings deep expertise on the social and ecological impacts of genetically engineered trees and the importance of protecting forests and communities from false climate solutions.
Heather Lee
Heather Lee is the Assistant Director of GJEP, a campaigner for the Campaign to STOP GE Trees, and a Steering Committee member of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. She holds a masters degree in the Faculty of Environment from the University of Waterloo (Canada), where her research examined transparency and accountability in federal policy-making concerning genetic engineering. She has spent more than 20 years advocating for environmental and social justice issues, especially the increasing corporate control of decision-making processes globally.