A junior majoring in environmental science and management, Ava Backes is conducting research through the CELS Summer Fellowship program under the mentorship of professor Laura Meyerson. This summer, she is helping to restore the American chestnut, a once-dominant tree that was nearly wiped out by an introduced fungal blight. Passionate about ecological restoration, she is working to breed and cultivate blight-resistant chestnut trees that can one day be reintroduced to their native range. Through the fellowship, she’s caring for greenhouse and orchard plants, assisting with controlled pollination, and contributing to a long-term effort to restore a keystone species and the ecosystems that depend on it. Learn more about her work below!
Q. What are you working on this summer?
A. I’m working on a project to restore the American chestnut by producing hybrid crosses between the susceptible American and resistant Chinese chestnut. This cross will eventually lead to a tree that contains the Chinese resistant genes while preserving at least 70% of the American characteristics to restore its ecological functions. The goal is to be able to create American chestnuts that can grow and survive in the wild while providing a habitat and nutritious food for wildlife and humans.
What have you enjoyed most about your fellowship experience?
Being surprised every day by a new spider, frog, bird, or vole that is thriving in the orchard. There is a tremendous amount of life that depends on these trees, and it just amazes me how biodiversity exists, and I still haven’t seen half of it. This shows me how many different species rely on these trees and the vital role they serve.
What’s been one of your favorite moments this summer?
Spending the day pollinating the bagged flowers. We got to climb on ladders and pollinate each bagged flower, contributing to the next generation of trees. I got to hang out with my co-workers in the orchards, talk all day, eat yummy pizza rolls, and get to pollinate knowing we were contributing to a larger purpose. We were out in the field, working directly and closely with the chestnuts.
What are your mentors like?
Working with Dr. Meyerson and Ph.D student Don Ruggieri has been wonderful; I feel so grateful for their support and caring for me not only as a student but also as a person. They have given me the confidence I need to believe I have what it takes to make a difference and pursue my passions no matter how hard it seems.
What have you learned through the fellowship that you couldn’t have learned in the classroom?
Even in times of self-doubt and not feeling like I am qualified or smart enough, curiosity and ambition have shown me that I belong in this field and can do hard things. I feel privileged to be able to positively impact the environment because I believe we need to reciprocate the love and care that nature provides us.