Above Watch the recorded Dec 4 online Premiere of our new short film on the return of the wild American chestnut, with special panelists Dr. Rachel Smolker of Biofuelwatch and Lois Breault-Melican of American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation. 

Or view the YouTube Premiere on Dec 10 at 4pm at https://youtu.be/ebywGe-J730

About the film:

There are three generations of wild American chestnut trees growing the land of renowned naturalist Dr. Bernd Heinrich, Biologist, naturalist, and author of A Year in the Maine Woods and 20+ other books.

These trees, 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.

Planted by blue jays and squirrels, these trees show us something far more hopeful: the wild American chestnut is already returning, naturally.

Join us for the premiere screening of a new short environmental documentary on this amazing success story. 

WHEN:
Thursday, December 4, 2025 7pm zoom screening

“This film presents some good news about the wild American Chestnut and is a stark contrast to claims that genetically engineered trees are necessary to bring the species back,” said Anne Petermann, GJEP Executive Director. “It was stunning to see so many robust trees representing three generations of natural growth, when the GE approach has produced nothing but failures.”

Film premiere co-sponsored by:

Standing Trees 

Dogwood Alliance

Canadian Biotechnology Action Network

Friends of the Earth US

Heartwood

GM Watch

The Hoodwinked Collaborative

Shawnee Forest Defense

The Shawnee Park and Climate Alliance