Arizona Tribune - Iconic American Chestnut Moves One Step Closer to Restoration

MCGRAW, NY / ACCESS Newswire / July 31, 2025 / SilvaBio is pleased to announce a historic milestone in the restoration of the iconic American chestnut - advanced by its collaborators at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). As of this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has moved closer to regulatory approval of the Darling 54 variety, representing a key juncture in the decades-long effort to return this keystone species to its 25-state native range.

In its recently released Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) concluded that the "Darling 54 American chestnut is unlikely to pose a greater plant pest risk than its nonmodified parent." This marks the first time since the regulatory review process began in 2020 that USDA-APHIS has issued a favorable recommendation for deregulation-an unprecedented and encouraging development for researchers, conversationalists and restoration advocates alike. In a letter submitted as part of the public comment period, officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) further noted that it "did not identify significant environmental concerns."

With the public comment period now officially closed as of July 21, the USDA has completed the final procedural step in its multi-year regulatory review. While the final determination remains pending, the June assessment underscores a historic shift in ecological restoration-made possible through decades of scientific research, collaboration and dedication to reviving a species once considered functionally extinct.

"We are witnessing a historic first-the return of a tree from the edge of extinction," said Michael Bloom, SilvaBio CEO. "The USDA's favorable assessment is a pivotal next step toward restoring this important species at a scale many never thought to be possible, and it's an incredible honor to be a part of this critical project. It is an iconic part of American history-and will play an essential role in America's future."

"Darling 54 has shown the strongest blight tolerance of any American chestnut we've studied. It is safe, effective, and stable. This tree, and future varieties like it, will help build forests that can endure," said Dr. Andrew Newhouse, Director of the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project at ESF. He adds, "This is the first time a forest tree developed for conservation has successfully completed the full USDA regulatory process. The goal is to bring back American chestnuts that are not only blight-tolerant but also genetically diverse and well suited to their native range."

Once a cornerstone of eastern forests, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) accounted for as much as a quarter of the forest canopy in some regions. Fast-growing, straight-grained, and a prolific nut producer, it was-as journalist and award-winning author of "American Chestnut", Susan Freinkel, called it- "a perfect tree." But in the early 1900s, a fungal blight introduced from Asia swept through the landscape, wiping out an estimated 4 billion trees. In just a few decades the species was eradicated from the ecosystem-leaving behind a profound ecological and economic void, especially across Appalachia, where communities had long relied on the tree for sustenance, shelter and income.

After decades of research and careful testing, scientists at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) developed the first blight-tolerant American chestnut, known as Darling 54, in collaboration with American Chestnut Restoration Inc., and many others.

SilvaBio holds a license to the breakthrough technology behind the Darling 54 and is now scaling production of resilient, genetically diverse seedlings to support a wide range of ecological and economic applications. As a public benefit corporation, SilvaBio's mission is rooted in restoring forest ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity and helping ensure the long-term success of the American chestnut's return. They work closely with researchers at SUNY-ESF sharing data, materials and field insights-to support science-based restoration and responsible deployment at scale. Beyond the American chestnut, SilvaBio is advancing new varieties of oak, elm and ash through a breakthrough platform that combines advanced genomic tools, AI, and precision agriculture techniques to accelerate trait discovery and deliver superior seedlings much faster than conventional methods.

The federal regulatory process to assess the Darling 54 American chestnut for potential deregulation began in 2020 under the Plant Protection Act, with a nationwide public comment period in 2022 that drew strong support from thousands of individuals and organizations. A nationwide public comment period in 2022 drew strong support from thousands of individuals and organizations. In 2023, SUNY-ESF notified APHIS of a testing discrepancy and in 2024, a revised petition was submitted, incorporating corrected nomenclature, clarifying the plant's identity, and providing updated research on molecular characterization and other technical refinements. USDA's 2025 recommendation affirms the Darling 54 tree's safety and marks the completion of a major phase of regulatory oversight.

To learn more about the Darling 54 American chestnut restoration project, please visit https://www.restorechestnut.org/.

To learn more about SilvaBio, please visit https://www.silvabio.com/.

About SilvaBio
SilvaBio is a privately held biotechnology firm that creates and sells disease-resistant hardwood seedlings. A mission-driven public benefit company, we're bringing back the first tree from functional extinction-the American chestnut-and advancing blight-resistant oak, elm, and ash. We are committed to preserving healthy, abundant and ecologically rich forests.

America's hardwood forests contribute $350 billion to the economy, support thousands of species, and offset 15% of U.S. carbon emissions. Yet entire species-from ash, elm, oak, walnut-are under threat from fast-spreading diseases. Traditional countermeasures have failed.

SilvaBio's breakthrough technology platform solves this problem by creating and delivering superior seedlings an order of magnitude faster than conventional methods.

We combine advanced bioengineering with AI-powered genomic tools to accelerate trait discovery and deliver better seedlings, faster. Our predictive models help us identify trees with the strongest resistance traits-allowing us to scale production and plant healthy, fast-growing trees where they're most needed.

Our approach is simple: restore forests through innovation. Learn more or connect with us at www.SilvaBio.com.

Press Contact

Sheila Smith | [email protected]

SOURCE: SilvaBio

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