Don't Let "Relocation" Claims Fool You—Demand In-Place Protection!
The historic American chestnut grove at the former Clements State Tree Nursery in Mason County, West Virginia, represents nearly 50 years of dedicated ecological restoration. Planted in 1976 by pioneering researchers from Virginia Tech, Concord University, and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, these 200 rare trees grew from wild seeds harvested across the region. They stand today as 60-foot mature canopy trees that successfully survived the devastating fungal chestnut blight that eradicated billions of American chestnuts across North America in the 20th century.
Serving as an invaluable genetic library and seed source for forest restoration across the state, the grove is now threatened by a proposed 580-acre, multi-billion-dollar AI data center development.
Following intense public scrutiny over the planned AI data center at the former Clements State Tree Nursery, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey issued a statement proposing a "preservation plan." The state claims the incoming tech developer, Nscale, will fund moving these 50-year-old, 60-foot-tall American chestnut trees during their dormant season.
This will not save the trees.
Any arborist knows you cannot simply dig up and "relocate" mature, deeply rooted 50-year-old canopy trees without severe mortality risks. These rare trees survived the devastating chestnut blight that wiped out billions of American chestnuts across North America. They represent decades of natural genetic resilience. Uprooting them for a massive corporate AI data center is an unacceptable gamble with an irreplaceable biological legacy.
We don't need PR deception—we need permanent, in-place protection. We need living forests, not resource-draining AI data centers!
Take Action Today: Demand In-Place Protection for the Clements Grove.
Protecting the small number of American Chestnut trees that survived chestnut blight is a matter of national importance. Email the West Virginia Governor’s office right now and remind them that greenwashing a data center at the expense of a critically endangered native species is unacceptable. The comment text is editable. We encourage you to edit and make it your own.
<h4>Then call the WV Secretary of Commerce and Department of Tourism to make sure your voice is heard:</h4>
<ul>
<li>WV Secretary of Commerce (Matt Herridge): 304-558-2234</li>
<ul>
<li>What to Say: "Hold incoming tech developers accountable. The state pledged to safeguard these historic trees, and economic development cannot come at the expense of our natural heritage. These American chestnut trees are of national importance and must not be uprooted."</li>
</ul>
<li>WV Department of Tourism: 304-558-2200</li>
<ul>
<li>What to Say: "As a potential visitor, I will not spend my tourism dollars in a state that bulldozes or uproots rare, historic American chestnut groves of national importance to make room for a massive AI data center."</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Key Talking Points for Your Calls:
<ol>
<li>Relocation is a high-risk gamble: Transplanting 60-foot mature hardwood trees carries an extremely low survival rate. True conservation requires protecting established root systems where they stand.</li>
<li>Resource-heavy AI vs. native ecosystems: Industrial data centers consume enormous power and water reserves. Replacing living climate-resilient trees with energy-hungry compute infrastructure harms West Virginia's environment.</li>
<li>Stand by original commitments: State officials previously assured citizens that the historic Clements grove would remain undisturbed. Hold them to that promise!</li>
</ol>
Every call demonstrates that the public is watching. Let’s keep the pressure on until these trees are fully secured in their native soil!&nbsp;

URGENT ACTION: Don’t Let An AI Data Center Destroy West Virginia’s Historic, Blight-Resistant American Chestnut Grove!

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey shares plan to relocate historic American chestnut trees for AI data center in Mason County

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed relocation of the historic, blight-resistant American chestnut grove at the former Clements State Tree Nursery in Mason County.

While I appreciate your administration's recognition that these 200 trees hold immense biological value, attempting to dig up and transplant 50-year-old, 60-foot canopy trees carries an extremely high risk of tree mortality. Arborists and forest ecologists agree that "relocation" is not a viable preservation strategy for mature hardwood trees of this scale.

This rare orchard survived the catastrophic chestnut blight that wiped out billions of American chestnuts across North America, making it a critical genetic foundation for regional forest restoration. Gambling with their survival to clear land for the incoming Nscale data center project is an unnecessary and irreversible mistake.

Economic growth should not come at the expense of West Virginia’s natural heritage. I urge your office to:

1. Require In-Place Protection: Mandate that tech developers redesign their site layout to leave the Clements grove completely undisturbed in its native soil.
2. Uphold State Commitments: Honor previous state promises to protect and care for this historic research orchard.
3. Establish Permanent Conservation: Work with conservation partners to secure formal, long-term legal protection for the grove site.

Preserving the native American Chestnut tree is a matter of national importance. Please stand up for West Virginia's living environmental legacy and protect these historic American chestnuts where they stand.