Nscale says it intends to preserve historic American chestnuts within its planned West Virginia computing campus, while a state-backed relocation plan faces warnings about the trees’ survival. The former Clements nursery is still under a purchase arrangement. Moving the trees is planned for late 2027; company assurances and competing expert assessments leave the grove’s future unresolved.
A plan to move historic American chestnuts within Nscale’s proposed computing campus has divided officials and conservation specialists. Their home is the former Clements State Tree Nursery, located in the US state of West Virginia, in Mason County. Governor Patrick Morrisey announced a relocation plan on October 10, with work scheduled for the dormant season in late 2027.[1]
Nscale denies any intention of felling the trees or leveling the nursery, according to its response to 404 Media. It says it wants to incorporate them into the Monarch Compute Campus and will pay for professional arborists and conservation experts. The company has not yet completed its purchase of the former nursery. Circulating claims of cutting after November 1 lack an on-record source in the outlet’s investigation.[1]
Amy Metheny, a forest pathologist working with the West Virginia American Chestnut Foundation, warned that a move would, in her professional opinion, kill the trees within two to five years. The governor’s office says a state assessment favors relocation with care, while anticipating some losses. Former state chapter president Mark Double says many blight-infected trees have survived for decades. A virtual public-comment meeting on campus air-quality and permits is planned for October 29.[1]
