West Virginia Chestnut Grove May Be Bulldozed for AI Data Center

Nscale's Monarch Compute Campus in West Virginia could destroy a grove of 200 blight-resistant chestnut trees planted in the 1970s. The 2,250-acre project, backed by over $20 billion and developed with Nvidia and Caterpillar, would supply 8 gigawatts of AI compute.

• Grove of 200 chestnut trees in West Virginia faces bulldozing for a data center
• Monarch Compute Campus will span over 2,250 acres and supply 8 GW
• Investment exceeds $20 billion, with Nvidia and Caterpillar as partners
• Fewer than 4,300 acres of fruit-producing chestnut trees remain in the US