chestnuts

Plans for a new data center could destroy one of the last remaining American chestnut groves in the United States, according to a report circulating widely online. The American chestnut was nearly wiped out by blight in the 20th century, making surviving groves ecologically precious. Commenters are voicing frustration that vital digital infrastructure is being sited on such rare natural habitat, and the story has struck a nerve over how data center growth is prioritized against conservation.

One of the last remaining stands of American chestnut trees in the United States could be destroyed to make room for an AI data center reportedly linked to Anthropic. Critics are decrying the plan as emblematic of the AI industry's growing appetite for land, energy and water, pitting a rare ecological treasure against the race to build computing infrastructure.