Below is an excerpt from the 17 December 2020 publication in Massive Science. For the full story click here.
If approved, the decision would be the first use of genetic engineering for the purpose of conservation, and has the potential to change eastern US forests if the chestnut tree is reintroduced in the wild at even a fraction of its former range. The proposition forces us to ask deep questions about what we are willing to use genetic engineering for. Some people are arguing against its approval due to lack of long-term studies of the modified tree’s impact on the environment and the threat that approving planting of genetically modified chestnut trees could lead to easier approval for planting genetically engineered trees of other species.
For the full story visit Massive Science.