Rescuing the
American Chestnut
Our mission is to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range.
Our vision is a robust eastern forest returned to its splendor.
Chestnut Chat
Up Next: Nuts About Nuts – Honoring the people who make it all possible
Join us on Friday, Dec 12, 2025, from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (EPT), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat webinar.
TACF proudly recognizes the outstanding individuals who power our mission to restore the American chestnut. Each year, we present the Volunteer Service Awards and Partner Service Awards to honor the people whose dedication makes the movement possible. This special webinar is a chance to hear directly from the awardees themselves: passionate volunteers, collaborators, and community partners who carry this unprecedented, intergenerational effort into the future. Their stories will inspire, their insights will motivate, and their commitment reminds us what’s possible when we work together. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating these remarkable contributors.
One Tree, Many Hands
As the end of the year approaches, we celebrate the power of working together to restore the American chestnut. This historic effort takes more than one person or one organization; it requires many hands. Your gift will fuel breakthrough scientific research, including the recurrent genomic selection (RGS) program, help establish and care for restoration plantings, and inspire the next generation of conservation leaders. Together, we can ensure the American chestnut reclaims its rightful place in our forests.
Please support our End of Year Appeal!
did you know?
TACF is the steward of the most blight-resistant and most genetically diverse majority-American chestnut population in the world. (Meet the trees!)
This population is the foundation of our advanced RGS breeding program!
Harnessing the Power of Genomics
The American Chestnut Foundation is using an advanced breeding method called recurrent genomic selection (RGS) to save the American chestnut. Learn more about this exciting technique by watching this introductory video, or take a deep dive into RGS on our breeding page.
2025 American Chestnut Photo Contest
Grab your camera and hit the trails—the American Chestnut Photo Contest is back! We’re looking for striking, creative, and unique images of American chestnut trees and hybrids.
The first-place winner will have their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine and receive a one-year TACF membership, along with a T-shirt and hat. Open until December 31, 2025
2024 Winner: Blue-gray gnatcatcher chicks in an American chestnut backcross tree, by Anna Rose at Berry College, GA
Support Our Research
Found a tree?
Learn how to identify American chestnuts and send us a sample for identification.
Support The Restoration
Want a tree?
Learn how to get American chestnut seeds from TACF.
Latest News
Membership Auto Renewal is Here!
Exciting new Membership feature You asked and we listened! Several members have inquired about automatic annual membership renewals. We are excited to announce that we have added this feature and you can now set your membership donation to automatically renew each...
Michael Goergen Named President & CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation
The American Chestnut Foundation’s (TACF) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Michael Goergen has been appointed as the organization’s new President & CEO and will begin in mid-September 2025. He will succeed interim President & CEO Bruce Levine. A...
End of an Era: Honoring Sara Fitzsimmons’ Remarkable Journey with TACF
Thank You, Sara: Celebrating Over 20 Years of Passion and LeadershipAfter more than two decades with The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), Chief Conservation Officer Sara Fern Fitzsimmons has accepted a new role as Technologies for Agriculture and Living Systems...
Inspiring!
CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut is now available! For just $10, you will receive unlimited views and the ability to download and watch on multiple devices.
All proceeds support The American Chestnut Foundation’s mission to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range.
Science Strategies
Breeding, Biotechnology, and Biodiversity
United for Restoration
The American Chestnut Foundation takes a holistic approach toward chestnut restoration, utilizing a three-pronged research strategy known as 3BUR (Breeding, Biotechnology, and Biodiversity, United for Restoration). These research tracks are implemented through mutually beneficial collaborations, so we can explore all avenues to reach the common goal of saving and restoring this species as quickly as possible.
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Lesesne State Forest is 422 acres, and lies next to Three Ridges Wilderness Area in Nelson County, VA. TACF and VA Department of Forestry partner in managing and breeding chestnuts here for restoration. TACF hosted our partners and national board members on a tour of the orchard in mid-November.
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Going here for the first time, seeing all the big American Chestnuts and also watching Bill Deeter 's videos and pictures of his trees convinced me that it is possible to breed resistance into American chestnuts! We got this folks
Cool. I planted 56 Dunstan chestnuts on Nov. 3 in damp peat moss. I have to transfer to potting soil soon, they're all sprouting. And I mean it looks like every single nut has germinated.
We’re on the Naturally Scott Podcast!
Our President & CEO sat down with Scott to talk about the past, present, and future of the American chestnut — from its historic role in Appalachia to the cutting-edge science driving restoration today.
- Why the roots never died
- The cutting-edge science behind restoration
- Why volunteers and donors are leading this effort
Watch the full episode now and join us in bringing back America’s iconic tree:
www.youtube.com/@NaturallyScott
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naturallyscott/id1830513032
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We’re on the Naturally Scott Podcast!
Our President & CEO sat down with Scott to talk about the past, present, and future of the American chestnut — from its historic role in Appalachia to the cutting-edge science driving restoration today.
- Why the roots never died
- The cutting-edge science behind restoration
- Why volunteers and donors are leading this effort
Watch the full episode now and join us in bringing back America’s iconic tree:
www.youtube.com/@NaturallyScott
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naturallyscott/id1830513032
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🐛 Large silk moth caterpillar native to North America, not a threatened species fairly common *but beautiful.
🌳 Tree is a wild American chestnut planted for a PRR fungicide trial in Clemson, SC.
Photo credit: Celeste Giles, Research Associate with the Plant and Environment Sciences Department at Clemson
#americanchestnut #explore #nature #bugs #chestnuts #caterpillar
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Can you tell us more about the PRR fungicide trial?
So cool. Curious if the funguscide harms the catepillar and insects?
Speaking of threat, our local university has discovered the chestnut weevil is not extinct as was thought. www.actionnews5.com/2025/12/08/uofm-researchers-rediscover-weevil-believed-be-extinct-thanks-phot...
In celebration of GivingTuesday, TACF’s Board of Directors and President & CEO Michael Goergen came together to issue a matching gift challenge. The original goal was $5,000, but because of their collective passion and generosity a total of $18,125 has been raised, making the impact of your gift even greater. If that amount is reached, it will double to $36,250! Visit the link in our bio to donate.
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Upcoming Events
Jeff White, one of four winners of TACF 's 2025 Volunteer Service AwardsNuts About Nuts - Honoring the people who make it all possibleJoin us on Friday, December 12, 2025, […]