$12 general admission | $10 for members
Join Ryan McNeill as he presents “The American Chestnut, in a nutshell.” He will provide a brief introduction to the chestnut’s phylogeny, the history of the American chestnut and its uses in North America, its decline due to introduced diseases, and current research aimed at overcoming these introduced pests and reintroducing resistant genotypes to its native range.
McNeill is originally from Lithonia, Georgia, and came to UGA to study biochemistry in 1992. He changed majors after becoming a student worker at the State Botanical Garden. He was the first curator of the Heritage Garden, which opened in early 2000.
He is currently the superintendent of the UGA Durham Horticulture Research Farm in Watkinsville. McNeill holds a master’s degree and a PhD in horticulture. His research focuses on developing methods to enhance the somatic embryogenesis of American chestnuts. He is active in the Georgia chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, where he’s been a member for over 15 years and has served on the board.
