Subscribe
JENNINGS RANDOLPH LAKE, W.Va. – Jennings Randolph Lake staff and volunteers planted 40 blight-resistant American chestnut seedlings along Sunset Trail at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, owned and operated recreation site, June 7, 2025. This effort comes as part of a national conservation program that chose the Corps park as one of only 19 spotlight sites across the country.
The tree planting concluded a three-day Leave No Trace Spotlight program that recognizes environmental stewardship and provides conservation education to local communities.
"The American chestnut was a pretty big wildlife crop production food source," said Joshua Corbin, natural resource specialist at Jennings Randolph Lake. "Back in the early 1900s, a blight came through and pretty much decimated the population here through Appalachia."
The chestnuts that were planted are hybrids that resist the fungal blight that destroyed the original trees around the 1930s. Scientists have crossed them back with American chestnuts multiple times to keep the species' useful traits.
National Recognition Leave No Trace picked Jennings Randolph Lake from applications sent by outdoor sites nationwide. The organization chose 19 locations in 2025 based on their conservation work and commitment to Leave No Trace principles.
"Sites like this actually nominate themselves," said Rob Pelton, Leave No Trace representative. "We look at their applications and see the work that they've been doing."
The selection puts Jennings Randolph Lake in a national spotlight for conservation efforts.
For Francesca Montgomery, lead park ranger at Jennings Randolph Lake, the chestnut planting represents the kind of hands-on conservation work that builds lasting connections between people and nature.
"My role consists of fostering a connection between the public and the natural world," Montgomery said. "Through programs like this one, we provide opportunities to people of all ages to assist in conservation efforts, in the hope that future generations will be able to enjoy and learn from the work we have done. The goal at the end of the day is to inspire stewardship and an appreciation for the environment."
Community Effort Volunteers ranging from elementary-age children to seniors participated in the Saturday planting. The group included members of the American Chestnut Society and Friends of Jennings Randolph Lake.
"The volunteers that we have, they're kind of like the unsung heroes," Pelton said. "They're not doing this to get paid. They're doing it because they care. They have a connection to these spaces."
Bill Donnellan proves that connection. The retired park ranger worked at Jennings Randolph Lake for 37 years and now serves as vice president of Friends of Jennings Randolph Lake. He watched children from the same family he met as campers decades ago participate in this year's planting.
"I met their dad when he was their age in 1985," Donnellan said. "I see their kids as being the future of either park rangers here, another place or campus, and staying involved with the outdoors."
Science and Timeline The American chestnut was a major species in Eastern forests before the blight arrived through Asian chestnut imports. The original trees provided abundant wildlife food and valuable timber.
"These chestnut trees are actually hybridized," Corbin said. "They've been bred to be blight resistant and then bred back with the American chestnut several times to keep those good characteristics that we want to see in American chestnut trees."
Workers installed protective cages around the seedlings to prevent damage from deer. If the trees survive, they could begin producing nuts within 12 years, allowing the local wildlife to reap the benefits.
Economic Impact Jennings Randolph Lake shows the value of Corps recreational facilities. The lake's 90,033 annual visitors brought more than $5 million in local economic activity in fiscal year 2022, supporting 30 jobs and $763,046 in labor income. The 3,548-acre facility includes seven recreation areas, eight trails, camping sites, and swimming areas. It recorded nearly 20,000 picnickers, over 15,000 campers, and more than 34,000 swimmers in 2022.
"By replanting these blight resistant trees, we hope to bring them back to nature, bring it back to where they came from," Donnellan said.
Education Focus The Leave No Trace program puts education alongside conservation work. The weekend included workshops on outdoor ethics, a community trivia night, and hands-on tree planting that brought together multiple age groups. "There is no starting age for education," Pelton said. "If we can get some of these values into them early, they can carry those values and really get a good sense of outdoor ethics."
The 31-year-old organization operates in 96 countries and focuses on community-based conservation solutions. The three-day spotlight format gives sites tools to continue conservation work after the program ends.
For current Corps staff, the national recognition validates ongoing conservation efforts.
"They're smart, intelligent, they have great backgrounds in environmental stewardship," Donnellan said of the ranger team.
Looking Ahead The chestnut restoration serves as both ecological work and education for visitors about conservation science and forest management. Leave No Trace staff stressed the importance of connecting people to natural spaces.
"If you're going to get outside and enjoy these spaces in any way, whether you're fishing, hiking, any way you get outside, enjoy it," Pelton said. "Make that connection with nature. If you are connected, then you're more willing to want to take care of these spaces."
The 40 seedlings represent a long-term investment in both forest restoration and community conservation education at a facility that draws nearly 100,000 visitors annually to the mountains of West Virginia.
About Jennings Randolph Lake Jennings Randolph Lake sits between Mineral County, West Virginia and Garrett County, Maryland, serving as a water supply and flood control reservoir on the North Branch of the Potomac River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District operates the facility, which offers camping, swimming, hiking, boating, and fishing opportunities.
About Leave No Trace Leave No Trace works to ensure a sustainable future for outdoor spaces through science, education, and stewardship. The nonprofit organization was established in 1994 and operates in 96 countries. Learn more at www.LNT.org.
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2025 15:44 |
| Story ID: | 542177 |
| Location: | WEST VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 9 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Jennings Randolph Lake staff and volunteers plant blight-resistant chestnuts in coordination with National Conservation Program, by Jeremy Todd, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
