One Man's Lifelong Crusade to Save a Vanishing Tree

About this episode

Emmett Hoops shares his lifelong dedication to saving the nearly-extinct American chestnut tree and its impact on generations.

Emmett Hoops was seven when he decided to save the nearly-extinct American chestnut tree. He's 66 now, but little else has changed since then. Together with a chorus of other chestnut-lovers, the people who grew up under those leaves and relied on those nutritious nuts tell the story of how a tree shaped generations. Guests: Emmett Hoops, Director for District 5 and Vice President for Outreach, New York Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation (at time of recording) Andy Newhouse, Director of American Chestnut Project at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (at time of recording) Want to get involved with Chestnut restoration? Visit the American Chestnut Foundation online to learn more about their mission! https://www.americanchestnut.org/ Special thanks to Bethany N. Baxter for archival interviews from Appalachia conducted in 2008. Originally aired: March 20, 2024

People in this episode

Guests: Emmett Hoops, Andy Newhouse

Topics covered

• environmental conservation
• botany
• American chestnut tree
• community involvement
• historical significance

Keywords

• American chestnut
• tree conservation
• Emmett Hoops
• Andy Newhouse
• environmental science
• nutritional value
• Appalachia
• chestnut restoration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Chestnut Foundation, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

More episodes of Constant Wonder

• Peregrine Falcons: Amazing Parents & Fastest Birds in the World · June 10, 2026 · 45 min
• More Than Meets the Eye · June 3, 2026 · 58 min
• How to Listen to the Magic of Music · May 27, 2026 · 47 min
• Survival of the Savvy: Plant Math & Masquerades · May 20, 2026 · 48 min
• Saving People In Harm's Way · May 13, 2026 · 52 min
• Bacteria Rewrote My Reality: Hallucinations, Assassins, and Recovery · May 6, 2026 · 53 min