In The News
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, efforts at the nexus of conservation and biotechnology have genetically engineered (GE) the American chestnut to resist the fungus. The goal is to...
American Chestnuts once numbered in the billions and ranged along the East coast from Maine to Mississippi. But a blight in the early 1900s pushed them back to a fraction of their historic range. Today, the American Chestnut is considered “functionally extinct”, but efforts to restore them are making progress through genetic modification. "Fortunately for us, even...
In a recent article by The Washington Post, The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) in partnership with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) continue the conversation around the transgenic breeding of the American chestnut. With direct quotes from Jared Westbrook, TACF Director of Science, and Bill Powell, SUNY-ESF Director of American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project, the article...
Foundation Sees Restoration of Functionally Extinct Chestnut Trees as a Path to Healthier Forests ASHEVILLE, N.C., July 11, 2022 – The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) said today that...
For as long as many of us can remember, the folks at Amica Insurance have volunteered their time to help their local community. Their slogan is “Amica in the Community– Deep Roots. Strong Bonds.” That slogan took on a new meaning as a group of nine volunteers from Amica’s office in Lincoln, Rhode Island partnered with members of the Burrillville Land Trust (BLT) –...
Carolinas Chapter President Doug Gillis crafted the frame and posts for an orchard sign installed outside TACF's Asheville office on April 19, 2022 (pictured above). The wood Doug used is wormy chestnut from the Harris Dairy Farm in Barnardsville, NC. When timber on 435 acres of this nearly 800-acre farm was selectively cut in the late 1950s, William Parlier of Lenoir, NC purchased the...
Have you taken a photograph of an American chestnut or American chestnut hybrid that deserves to grace the cover of Chestnut magazine? Enter it in TACF’s 2022 American Chestnut Photo Contest! Send in your best photo(s) by September 1, 2022 to enter. We're looking for creative attributes that highlight the unique and attractive characteristics of the tree. The winner will receive a complimentary one-year TACF...
The success of B3F3 demonstration plantings varies at a number of sites in the Carolinas. Some trees survive after many years; others have died due to drought and unfavorable soil conditions. Despite amended soil to encourage better drainage and root growth, heavy clay soils often affect the growth of seedlings planted. Tim Horne volunteered last fall to help the chapter, inventorying and documenting the...
The KY Chapter is fortunate to partner with Berea College in restoring the American chestnut. The college owns a 9,000-acre forest in the “Knobs” (rugged, non-connected hills) south of the Bluegrass limestone region of Kentucky. The land was acquired beginning in 1897 after small farms exhausted the soil and the timber had been cut over. The higher sandstone ridges at 1,500 feet elevation support...
In late January, chapter volunteers met at Pennsylvania State University's Forest Resources Laboratory complex to sow the 2021 crop of seed, some of which were collected in the backcross orchards on the grounds of the Penn State Arboretum. Volunteers were directed by Orchard Manager Steve Hoy (Hoy) and assisted by TACF Director of Restoration Sara Fitzsimmons. Altogether 4,200 pots have been planted. The seed range includes wild-type Americans, advanced backcross,...
TACF chapter members are a crucial asset toward our mission to rescue the American chestnut tree. In addition to their invaluable volunteer work, we also appreciate their diverse interests and expertise. For example, Indiana Chapter President Glenn Kotnik is not only passionate about American chestnut restoration, he is also a skilled and knowledgeable nature photographer! Please enjoy the following educational piece by Glenn in...
“You teach me, I forget. You show me, I remember. You involve me, I understand” ~E.O. “Ed” Wilson, 1929-2021, The American Chestnut Foundation’s Honorary Director Since hearing of Ed’s passing, a day I knew would come but dreaded, there is little I can add to the many deserved accolades of this towering conservationist....