After more than 50 years of research and selective breeding, blight-resistant American chestnut
(Castanea dentata) trees will soon be available for planting into the species’ pre-blight range. Increased
understanding of the regeneration requirements of pure American chestnut (C. dentata [Marsh.] Borkh.)
will increase the success of future efforts to establish blight-resistant chestnut. We quantified survival
and initial growth of bare-root American chestnut seedlings at five locations in eastern Kentucky, USA.
We used a split-plot design to compare seedlings planted within adjacent mesic and xeric sites treated
with either a two-age shelterwood overstory treatment or a midstory removal treatment. The
silvicultural treatments and topographic settings allowed us to evaluate chestnut seedling performance
under four light and site productivity combinations. Seedling survival was 57% and seedling height
averaged 94 cm following two growing seasons. Seedling survival was negatively related to sand and
coarse fragment content, but was unrelated to silviculture treatment or topographic position. Chestnut
seedlings grew best in shelterwood overstory treatments areas on mesic sites. Seedlings growing in
shelterwood overstory treatment areas added 3- and 3.5-times more height and stem increment
compared to seedlings planted aftermidstory removal. Seedling leafmass and foliar nitrogen (N) content
were also greatest in shelterwood plantings on mesic sites. The high-light environment created by
shelterwood overstory removal resulted in better initial seedling growth, but the moderate-light of the
midstory removal treatment may ultimately provide chestnut seedlings a greater advantage over
competing vegetation.