NORTHAMPTON -- Thanks to a local teen, a retired doctor, and the city's tree warden, 16 American chestnut seedlings will soon be planted in select locations across the city.

The majestic tree once held a prominent place in the New England forest, until a lethal Asian fungus wiped the species out in the early 1900s.

Last spring, retired physician T. Stephen Jones, 76, asked Madeleine Lombard, 16, to propagate seeds that he acquired from the American Chestnut Foundation, a non-profit that is trying to breed disease-resistant varieties.



"He knew that I would take good care of them," said Lombard, a self-described "plant nerd."

Lombard grew the seeds at her home in Northampton, using a special planting medium and deep pots. She took care to protect her project from squirrels, since the nut-loving animals had scuttled a previous tree-growing attempt.

"Two years ago, we had 100 percent mortality," she said. "My mom put the trees outside, and the squirrels ate them within minutes." She said the chestnut was still attached to the base of the two-month-old plants.

This year, as luck and skill would have it, all 16 chestnuts germinated and survived their first growing season, and the trees are healthy and ready to go, said Lombard.

Lombard, a student at Four Rivers Public Charter School in Greenfield, spent last summer as an intern with the Smith College Botanical Garden. She also volunteered with the college's McLeish Field Station in Whately.

"I've learned so much about these trees," she said. "Many of the tobacco barns you see in Hadley and Hatfield were built of American chestnut. The wood is very rot-resistant. Plus, for generations, people enjoyed eating the chestnuts."

Volunteers will plant eight of the trees at the Bridge Street Cemetery on Wednesday. The others will be planted at Childs Park and the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area. They will initially be protected with special cages.

The seeds Lombard grew are of a genetic stock that is 6 percent Chinese chestnut, and the trees are believed to be resistant to the blight.

"However, time will tell," said Jones, who spoke of his deep interest in restoring the species once known as the "Sequoia of the East."

The city's Public Shade Tree Commission and Tree Warden Rich Parasiliti chose the Bridge Street Cemetery for its historic significance and expansive, park-like grounds, seen as an appropriate setting for the majestic trees.