The Chestnut: a multipurpose resource for the new millennium

The European chestnut (Castanea sativa) distribution extends from Turkey, through the Balkans and around the Mediterranean Sea, to Portugal. Europe provides 17% of the total world-wide chestnut production and the main producers are Italy, Turkey, Portugal and Spain. Nut and timber production are integrated with many activities related to a multitude of values for the sustainable development of the territory. The nuts, with new and traditional methods of conservation and processing technologies, arrive on the market as a large array of commodities: from dried chestnuts, chestnut flour, marrons glacés, chestnut creams and pastes, to innovative peeled and frozen chestnut products, chestnut flakes, beer or liquors. The technological developments in forest management, in harvesting and in processing increase the attention for chestnut timber. The chestnut ecosystem also provides agroforestry coproductions (honey, choice edible mushrooms, pasture, game, medicinal plants, forage, and litter) and services. The high landscape value of the chestnut tree can be enjoyed by a low-impact tourism.