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 is Back!
How Breeding has Improved Disease Resistance in Loblolly Pine and prospects for American Chestnut
Join us on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (EPT), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat webinar.
Our special guest, Dr. Trevor Walker, Assistant Professor of Forest Genetics and Co-Director of the Cooperative Tree Improvement Program at NC State University, will share insights from 70 years of breeding loblolly pine for disease resistance, growth, and stem form. He will also consider which practices are likely to succeed for American chestnut, which are not, and why.

Want to see an American chestnut in the wild?
Watch our new video to learn how easy it is to find American chestnuts in the wild with iNaturalist. All it takes is your phone, a few free apps, and a sense of wonder. Once you spot your first wild chestnut, you’ll be hooked!

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
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...
A New Beginning: Fresh Leadership for TACF’s New York Chapter
The Executive Committee of The American Chestnut Foundation’s (TACF) Board of Directors voted in May 2025 to establish a newly restructured, unincorporated New York (NY) Chapter. We warmly welcome a dynamic new leadership team: President Dazzle Ekblad, Treasurer Kurt...
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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Upcoming Events
We'll be shucking chestnut burs to extract the nuts, prepare the nuts for stratification; record the family and quantity of nuts by family. We will be shucking at Augusta […]
Slow and Steady Wins the Race: How Breeding has Improved Disease Resistance in Loblolly Pine and Prospects for American ChestnutJoin us on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 11:30 AM – […]
17th Annual WV Chestnut Festival in RowlesburgThe 17th Annual American Chestnut Festival will be held Sunday, October 12, 2025, in Rowlesburg, West Virginia. For more information, download the 2025 flyer […]