About Us
Darling 58 American Chestnut Public Comment Period has Ended
Thank you to everyone who showed their support for the Darling 58 blight-tolerant American chestnut tree by submitting a comment to the USDA!
More information can be found on SUNY ESF’s American Chestnut Project webpage or at The American Chestnut Foundation’s Resources page.
Erik Carlson’s Interview on the Talking Biotech Podcast
Erik Carlson, an ESF graduate student, discussed the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project on Talking Biotech Podcast. In November 2021, Erik published a paper in Molecular Plant Pathology on the new lines of transgenic American chestnuts developed with the win3.12 inducible promoter from poplar (Populus deltoides), which drives OxO expression. The oxalate oxidase gene from wheat confers elevated chestnut blight resistance in American chestnut. The podcast discusses the background of the project, where the project stands, and the regulatory environment of repatriating a forest with engineered trees.
The Bur Newsletter
In the latest issue of The Bur:
• NY-TACF’s first “in person” Annual Meeting in three years
• District Director Reports: What’s happening in New York State
• Transgenic Chestnut Work Growing Beyond New York State
• ESF research updates
Pollination Workshop
ESF’s American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project discussed their outcrossing plan, as well as how to pre-bag American chestnut female flowers, how they collect transgenic Darling 58 pollen, what to do when pollen is received, how to perform controlled pollinations, and how to protect nuts from animals during a virtual pollination workshop.
The workshop, beginning with a 20 minute video, can be view through TACF’s Chestnut Chat Series event listing.
The Village Chestnut Tree Podcast
All across North America and Europe, trees are under mortal threat. In The Village Chestnut Tree podcast, Emmett Hoops discusses American chestnuts and what’s being done to save them.
Latest Episode: Years End Ideas
The Chestnut Tree Video
Produced by the Templeton Foundation, one of our donors.
American Chestnut Seed Engraving
Sergey Jivetin creates elaborate engravings on the shells of seeds, including a series carved on American chestnut seeds depicting TACF’s American chestnut restoration efforts. On the first image below, the lower right-hand nut illustrates the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project’s insertion of the Oxalate Oxidase gene into the American chestnut genome. The second image is a larger representation of that nut. To see more of Sergey Jivetin’s work, check out his website, Furrow Seed Engraving Project.
New York Chapter Menu
National Facebook
Have you ever wanted to be a chestnut breeder?
Please join us at the beautiful Chestnut Ridge Orchard 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
Being the $97m Dollars winner of the 2008 Lotto max is a great gain. I vowed to help people in need of financial support, Being blessed with ninety seven million dollars really meant a lot to me and I feel like I don’t deserve it as I know the real struggle people go through in a bid to make ends meet. Therefore I voluntarily decided to donate and touch the lives of men and women who have found themselves in financial crisis, to individuals around the world according to how God leads me to do. I try to reach people randomly from different sources and modes so as to touch lives from different parts of the world. Now I’m giving you an opportunity to share your pain with me drop a message for me and I'll reply you. Respectfully: Carl hunter
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
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
Beautiful seeds growing from our PA/NJ chapters
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.I rescued some chestnut trees at an estate sale. You guys tested them and said they are f1. Still hanging in there. 💗
Collected? So these are pure American seedlings that you are growing for breeding purposes?
Where can I get some seedlings to plant here in Central Massachusetts???
Is fall the best time to plant them?
One of my yearlings!
John H Higley
Latest News
The USDA’s approval of GE chestnut trees would be a step forward for threatened species conservation
"It is an exciting time in the field of conservation and biotechnology. For the first time, it appears likely that a tree that has been developed with genetic engineering (GE) could be approved by U.S. regulatory agencies for use in restoring a threatened species to...
Bringing Back the American Chestnut
"At the turn of the [20th] century, ...the American chestnut was devastated by blight... The blight swept through the Appalachian forest at a rate of 50 miles a year, leaving the species as nothing more than an early-succession-stage shrub. Now, the American...
Gene editing could save a nearly lost tree
Researchers at SUNY ESF are growing American chestnut trees that can withstand blight. They are ready to release the trees into the wild, becoming the first in the United States to use genetic engineering to bring back a forest tree to its former glory. Read the full...