 In 1912, standing chestnut timber in just three states was estimated to be $82.5 million ($1.9 billion in current dollars) in value.Therefore, in addition to ecological impacts, "C. parasitica" potentially caused a devastating loss in economic welfare for communities dependent on the chestnut tree.Mountaineers, residents of Appalachian Mountain communities, had to drastically alter their life styles to cope with the effects of this disease.