Ohio planting American chestnut hybrids in hope trees survive fatal blight By Laura Arenschield In the early 1900s, American chestnut trees dotted the landscape from Maine to Georgia. The trees grew tall, earning the nickname “Redwoods of the East,” and provided food and shelter for birds and forest animals and wood for homes and cabinets. Read more about Ohio planting American chestnut hybrids in hope trees survive fatal blight