The American chestnut is a singular, iconic tree of the eastern United States. It was majestic, supported animals that lived under it and provided valuable timber. It was everywhere. But then it started dying. A fungal blight and root rot devastated the species by the 1950s. Efforts to breed disease-resistant American chestnuts have been challenging, but DNA sequencing offers hope. Arborists aim to restore the species, envisioning a future where it thrives in forests, independently of humans, once more.