Humber College
IN-1: Innovation 1

Humber College staff and students, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, are working together to save Butternut trees. The Butternut tree is in the walnut family. This tree is an important part of biodiversity in the region; however, due to a non-native fungal pathogen (Butternut Canker) that causes damage to the stems and branches of the tree, the Butternut has undergone a drastic decline in the past 40 years and it is now listed as an endangered species. The genetic make-up of the Butternut tree species makes it very difficult to propagate through cuttings. In order to help save the species, Humber College has begun a partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on a Butternut Recovery Program. The Program focusses on finding butternut trees that appear disease-free and taking cuttings called scions from the tips of their branches. Genetic copies of these apparently resistant trees are then produced by grafting the scions onto black walnut tree roots. These grafted trees are then planted in the wild. The project’s long term goal is to archive disease-resistant "genotypes" which could produce seed for the future. The project began in 2012 with an investigation of the optimal environmental conditions that increase the success of the Butternut tree. The college has planted five Butternut saplings in a 1000 sq ft enclosed planting site in the Humber Arboretum, which are checked weekly for tree health. Plantings of up to 20 more Butternut trees will continue over the next few years, depending on the success of cuttings and funding available. The team hopes to publish the results of this project in a journal, such as HortScience and present it at a local symposium.