(c) Anthony K. Grafton 2003

Fallen Giants

Have you ever heard of trees called the American Chestnut and the American Elm? Both of these trees were once relatively common in this country, and they grew to be large and beautiful. But now, hardly any remain, and those that do still live likely won’t last long enough to grow very large.

What happened to these magnificent trees, and what future do they have? This week’s Science Corner is a quiz to encourage you to find out. Look up the answers to the following nine questions and send them in to Science Corner. The first person under 15 years old whose correct answers are received will be recognized and will receive a small prize. The deadline for receipt of the answers is December 19, 2002.

1. Before they were nearly wiped out, how large could these two trees grow?

2. What were the diseases that killed off most of these trees?

3. From where did these diseases come, and how did they arrive in North America?

4. What was the range of these trees in North America, and did they grow in Kentucky?

5. If they exist in Kentucky, where in the state are the largest remaining examples of each of these trees?

6. For what did people use these trees, and what trees have been used in their places?

7. What’s being done by scientists to try to save and restore these trees to our woodlands?

8. Name three other living things that were imported into North America within the last century that are causing problems for people and the environment.

9. For each of the things you named in #8, shy do they cause trouble here, but not in the places from which they came?

Send your answers to one of the locations listed below.