THE CHESTNUT: A MULTIPURPOSE RESOURCE FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM

The chestnut is an important resource in the world both for its wide distribution and its economic and environmental role in many agroforestry systems. The oriental chestnut species Castanea mollissima (Bl.), C. crenata (Sieb. et Zucc.) and C. henryi (Rehder et Wilson (Skan)) just as the European chestnut (C. sativa Mill.) have been for centuries a basic food for the survival of the population in many areas of Asia, Southern Europe and most of the countries bordering the Mediterranean sea. In North America C. dentata (Borkh.), a forest giant, was a dominating species in the broadleaf forests before the blight (Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr) reduced it to an understory shrub. Nut and timber production are integrated with the many activities related to a multitude of values for the sustainable development of the territory. The nuts, with new and traditional methods of storage and processing, reach the market as a large array of commodities: from the traditional dried chestnuts, chestnut flour, marrons glacés, creams to peeled and frozen chestnut products, chestnut flakes, beer or liquors, innovative produce for an increasing demand market. The new technologies in forest management, harvesting and processing increase the potential for timber too. The chestnut ecosystem in addition provides agro-forestry co-productions (honey, choice edible mushrooms, pasture, game, healthy plants, forage and litter) and externalities. The high landscape value of chestnut forests, created by centuries of human activity in the mountainous and hilly areas, can be enjoyed nowadays in Europe by low-impact tourism. The article describes the multifunctional role of the chestnut and the efforts done to improve the technologies and knowledge for a sustainable management of the resource.