Rescuing the
American Chestnut
Our Vision
is a robust eastern forest restored to its splendor
Our Mission
is to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range
Chestnut Chat Series
The previous Chestnut Chat on June 16, 2023 discussed TACF’s long-anticipated documentary film CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut. This 53-minute film highlights the story of the tree’s exceptional significance, the people determined to save it, and its promising future. We were be joined by TACF’s Director of Communications Jules Smith to discuss the making of and goals for the film and by filmmaker Rod Murphy of Collective Projects to answer questions related to creative development. We were also joined by Mari Peterson of Marketing Outpost who, along with her team, has played an invaluable role in the success of this project and is coordinating screenings. Stay tuned for details about the next Chestnut Chat.
Science Strategies
Breeding, Biotechnology, and Biocontrol
United for Restoration
Support Our Research
How to identify an American chestnut tree
Learn how to identify American chestnuts and send us a sample for identification.
Support The Restoration
How to receive American chestnut seeds & seedlings
Learn how to get American chestnut seeds and seedlings from TACF.
Latest News
Dr. William Pitt Named President & CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation
On April 27, 2023, The American Chestnut Foundation’s (TACF) Board of Directors announced that conservation leader Dr. William Pitt has been appointed President & CEO of TACF. Dr. Pitt will further the organization’s mission currently led by President & CEO...
2023 American Chestnut Photo Contest
PHOTO CREDIT: “Standing Out in a Crowd” by Matt Nichols, winner of the 2019 American Chestnut Photo Contest.It is time again to begin thinking about your best photos of American chestnut or American chestnut hybrids for entry into this year’s contest. We encourage you...
Biotech Chestnut Tree to Restore Lost Ecosystems and Biodiversity With Your Help
A recent article, published just before the holidays, shares the history of restoration efforts of the American chestnut tree. The article continues on to detail the current deregulation efforts towards the transgenic tree, Darling 58. "Over the last twenty years,...
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Coginchaug Outdoor Enrichment Center (COEC) recently did a screening of the TACF documentary film CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut.
Speaker, Michael Gaffey from the CT-TACF Chapter spoke on the film's behalf and he explained the serious need for people to contact legislators and suggested that people join and support the foundation.
Cherokee One Feather recently published an article on mature American chestnut trees found in Tribal Reserve.
During the summer of 2021, Tribal Reserve was surveyed for reproductively mature American chestnuts. The Eastern Band of Cherokee (EBCI) and TACF are collaborating on efforts to restore the American chestnut to the Qualla Boundary.
"The Cherokee people have had a relationship with Tilĭ for thousands of years—a relationship that continues today with the making of chestnut bread every fall (though, Chinese chestnuts, Castanea mollissima, have mostly replaced American chestnuts in the recipe)."
Jamie Van Leuven, who is conducting the survey, found eleven reproductively mature trees! To be considered reproductively mature, the tree needs to be able to produce flowers or fruit. These trees will play a major role in restoring this culturally significant tree to Tribal land in numerous ways.
Read the full article with the link in the comments below.
Article by Jamie Van Leuven, Tommy Cabe, and Mike LaVOIE.
📸 1st- A flowering American chestnut tree in Tribal Reserve.
2nd-Photo by Jaime Van Leuven. The tallest, mature American chestnut found in Tribal Reserve towers into the forest canopy.
Tom Mullikin Great news!!!
👏👏👏
If I had a nickel for every reproductively mature tree I've seen blindly counted as functionally extinct.
I saw chestnut trees growing along the Foothills parkway over the weekend. They were in bloom though not very mature
and that is. WHERE?
TACF is closed today in recognition of the July 4th Independence Day holiday. Enjoy these catkin fireworks from a transgenic seedling grown under high-intensity lights at the University of New England (Maine) greenhouse in 2020!
Humm
UVA or uvb ?
Meh not feeling the GMO release into the environment
The blight on a timeline:
• Late 1800s- A fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) was accidentally imported into the United States from Asia.
• 1904- The fungus was first identified on American chestnut at the Bronx Zoo in New York.
• 1950- By this time the fungus had eliminated the American chestnut as a mature forest tree.
• 1970s- Academic and governmental institutions called the attempt to save the species futile, and significantly scaled back or eliminated their efforts.
• 1983- Plant breeders and concerned citizens formed The American Chestnut Foundation to save this iconic tree.
A Chinese fungus. Like the same one in the 90s that brought the wilting disease to Florida red bay trees and made them all but extinct in the wild in less than 30 years.
How can Americans like me help the foundation by planting these hybrid chestnut 🌰 trees In our locations so we can make the chestnut come back into America..?
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Inoculation Volunteer Day is POSTPONED!
Based on the small size of seedling diameters the inoculation workday originally scheduled for July 10, has been being pushed back to August. Stay tuned for confirmation of the new date.
patacf.org/seeking-volunteers-for-inoculations-at-psu/
Upcoming Events
Meet the CT Chapter of TACF at the The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station 113th Plant Science Day! Members of the TACF Connecticut Chapter will be on plot 29, near wild […]