Maine – About Us
The Maine chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) was established in 1999 to help restore the American chestnut tree to our corner of America here in Maine. We live at the northernmost end of its natural range where chestnuts, like Mainers, make due with less sunshine and more cold. These suboptimal conditions made for sparser populations of chestnuts (and people) than southern climes, even before the blight.
Maine is currently home to more mature, flowering wild American chestnuts than any other state. Their success is due primarily to Maine’s geographic isolation from the denser populations of chestnut trees south of us, where the fungus spreads more readily. We have the joyful job of finding Maine’s wild trees and harvesting their nuts!
By growing chestnuts from wild trees, the Maine Chapter is preserving genes that have helped the chestnut adapt to life at the cooler edge of its range. Ultimately our gene conservation and breeding efforts are intended to produce hearty, blight-resistant populations of American chestnuts that we can use for forest restoration.
The chapter’s goals are to: 1) Protect, conserve, preserve, and propagate trees from the remaining native American chestnut populations in Maine; 2) Restore the American chestnut to a place of ecological and economic importance and self-sustainability throughout their original range in Maine, and 3) Make blight-resistant American chestnuts available to the people of Maine as soon as possible.
With your help we intend to restore this iconic species to Maine’s landscape, its wildlife, and its people.
Board of Directors
Key Contacts
Mark McCollough, Chapter President
Thomas Klak, Vice President & Chair of Gene Conservation
Al Faust, Treasurer
Eric Evans, Breeding Coordinator
Eva Butler, Volunteer Coordinator
Ann Rea, Seed Sales
Board Members
David Allen, Portland
Peter Bohman, Monmouth
Eva Butler, St George
Robert Duiett, Searsport
Kirby Ellis, Hudson
Eric Evans, Camden
Albert C. Faust, Winterport
Charles Hudson, Liberty
Dr. Tom Klak, Saco
Ronald Lemin, Bangor
Hunter Manley, Old Town
Mark McCollough, Hampden
Nina Pearlmutter, Kennebunkport
Ann Rea, Bangor
Glen Rea, Bangor
Andy Reed, Unity
Dr. Brian Roth, Orono
Larry Totten, West Bath
Roger Willby, Bridgeton
Maine Chapter Menu
National Facebook
Each year, prior to pollination season, The American Chestnut Foundation's Meadowview Research Farms staff works hard in the High Light Grow Room to produce pollen. The process of producing flowering saplings in 9 to 11 months vs. normal orchard conditions of 5 to 7 years is described in this video with Cassie Stark, new regional science coordinator and former laboratory manager at Meadowview.
Expanding the High Light Grow Room at Meadowview Research Farms with this new greenhouse would benefit the foundation immensely. Your support of TACF’s 2023 Spring Appeal will allow us to purchase a year-round greenhouse.
Also- we have exciting news!! Right now your donations will be DOUBLED thanks to one of TACF's generous supporters, Robert Dunlap of Dunlap & Kyle.
Link to donate:
support.acf.org/donate/spring-appeal
PlayCleanGo powered by The North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) is a campaign to raise awareness for people to not spread invasive pests and pathogens between natural areas, which is something chestnuts could have benefitted from a long time ago.
Go to PlayCleanGo | Powered by NAISMA for some great tips!
Have you ever wanted to be a chestnut breeder?
Please join us at the beautiful Chestnut Ridge Orchard (Tennessee) for a one-day pollination workshop on June 10th to learn the basics of chestnut breeding.
The training will begin at 10:00 AM Central.
📍The Chestnut Ridge Orchard is located at: 1439 Shelbyville Highway, Petersburg, TN
The workshop is a hands-on opportunity to learn and practice the techniques we use for controlled crosses in the TACF breeding program. We'll cover all the steps in the process from finding and identifying an American chestnut tree, how to recognize the male and female flowers, emasculation and bagging, pollen collection and handling, labelling and record-keeping, and the intimate details of hand pollination.
What to bring?
A pair of garden clippers or tiny scissors, a summer hat, and some bug spray. Sensible shoes are a must! Dress for the weather and don't forget to bring plenty of water and a snack. This is an all-ages, rain or shine event. Everyone is welcome. No experience necessary.
In order to best coordinate the group please let Hill Craddock know you are coming at:
📧Hill-Craddock@utc.edu
Tennessee Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation
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PA/NJ chapter seeking volunteers:
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR NEXT WEEK
Field inoculations of hybrid chestnut trees (750 TREES TOTAL)
Where: South Orchard (Rocky Top Lane)
When: Friday, June 16th, 9:00 am- 4:30 pm
**This activity requires repeated standing, kneeling, and sitting.
For more information & to sign up contact Hoy:
sdh177@psu.edu | 719-480-9201
patacf.org/seeking-volunteers-for-inoculations-at-psu/SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR NEXT WEEK
Field inoculations of hybrid chestnut trees (750 TREES TOTAL)
Where: South Orchard (Rocky Top Lane)
When: Friday, June 16th, 9:00 am- 4:30 pm
**This activity requires repeated standing, kneeling, and sitting.
For more information & to sign up contact Hoy:
sdh177@psu.edu | 719-480-9201
patacf.org/seeking-volunteers-for-inoculations-at-psu/
The only time I wished I lived in PA
Is there an address I can Google?
I'm originally from Greenville in Mercer County & will attend in spirit
I wish I was a little closer it Would be great to help out
do you get extra seedlings?
J U N E 16th Chestnut Chat (live, virtual via Zoom): Pre-register for:
➡️Q&A about TACF documentary, CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut
🌟Learn about 40th Anniversary Surprise online screening for TACF email subscribers
➡️Meet Filmmaker, Rod Murphy
➡️Learn how to screen the film and what is included in the screening kit and more with coordinator Marketing Outpost
Pre-register here: psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_85iLnNwKQ0Gl6_irP7e94Q#/registration
Indiana Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation, The American Chestnut Foundation - Kentucky Chapter, The American Chestnut Foundation's Meadowview Research Farms, The Georgia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation West Virginia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, Vermont & New Hampshire Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation Upcoming Chestnut Chat is all about the TACF documentary. Learn about opportunity for e-mail subscribers to view the film in celebration of our 40th Anniversary, meet Rod Murphy, one of the filmmakers and learn about how to screen the film, scheduled screenings and more.
Jim Jordan link is here
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