The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) nearly became extinct a century ago due to the fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica, which destroyed chestnut forests in the eastern United States. This loss affected the native population, European settlers, and many wild species. Restoration has been ongoing for decades, supported by scientists and forest lovers alike. Early attempts focused on traditional breeding with hardy Asian chestnuts. Genetic engineering to produce resistant trees has gained ground in recent decades. On page 730 of this issue, Westbrook et al. describe the genomic and physiological basis of blight resistance and how to transfer the responsible genes by breeding or transformation into American chestnut. Analyzes show ways to accelerate forest recovery in the Appalachians, where chestnut once dominated.[1]