After a 120-year absence due to a devastating blight, the American chestnut tree has been reintroduced to the Bronx Zoo in New York City. The zoo, in partnership with the New York Restoration Project, has planted 25 hybrid saplings as part of a larger restoration initiative. The American chestnut was once a dominant species throughout eastern North America, but a fungal disease wiped out nearly 4 billion trees. This planting represents a hopeful step towards restoring this ecologically important tree to its former range. Scientists developed these hybrid saplings to possess some resistance to the blight. The restoration project aims to bring back a vital part of the region's natural heritage to the Bronx Zoo and beyond.