About This Project

The traditional chestnut utilization network and value chain in Turkey maintain the diversity of the cultivated species through the transmission of gender differentiated knowledge of and value for specific chestnut tree traits, cultivars and populations. At the level of the individual orchard and forest- stand this diversity buffers trees, and therefore, households and communities from the ravages of chestnut blight.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

The increasing severity of chestnut blight in Turkey threatens the diversity of the European chestnut species and the livelihood practices which maintain it. While global biological homogenization is spreading, years of ethnobotanical research verifies that traditional agricultural and plant utilization practices maintain and expand the genetic diversity of important plant species. Turkey is the world's largest and oldest producer of European chestnuts and here they are used widely for candies, ice cream, and other delicacies. Chestnut wood is precious for crafts and artisanal items. Today many diseases threaten the species in Turkey, especially chestnut blight. The anthropocene yet again compels another human society to efficiently conserve what is most valuable for future generations..

What is the significance of this project?

International, governmental, and scientific actors in several locations throughout Turkey are right now attempting to control chestnut blight. However, current techniques cannot benefit all trees and there is insufficient information to identify the ecologically and culturally optimal trees for conservation. No one is accounting for the cultural value of specific chestnut traits, cultivars, and geographic populations to the chestnut-utilizing community. Our work will set the stage for conserving the most valued traits, cultivars and populations in the European chestnut for the Turkish people. Results from this project will be used to inform biological control efforts, reinforce the livelihoods of chestnut-utilizing communities and prevent the inadvertent loss of genetic diversity.

What are the goals of the project?

With this funding, we will first evaluate the severity of chestnut blight and document correlated geographic and agronomic indicators on GPS logged plots belonging to 10 households in 10 sites. Next, we will evaluate the impact of chestnut blight on the budgets of these ten chestnut-utilizing households at each site. Importantly, we will then evaluate associated chestnut-livelihood diversity-defined as an index of botanical, utilization, acquisition and spatial diversity- by gender and by household with these ten households at each site. Finally, we will utilize the analysis of epidemiological, ethnobotanical, and socio-economic results to facilitate the formation of strategic protocols for selecting sites to implement biological control and conservation of diversity across Turkey.