Rescuing the
American Chestnut
Our Mission
is to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range.
Our Vision
is a robust eastern forest restored to its splendor.
Chestnut Chat Series
Join us October 20 from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (EDT), for TACF’s next LIVE Chestnut Chat featuring student flash talks and a virtual poster session.
As part of our Annual Fall Meeting we look forward to our annual poster session and student flash talks. This year, we’re moving them into a virtual space! We will devote our October Chestnut Chat to a series of flash talks highlighting student work. A virtual poster session will follow and all are welcome to participate – student and professional alike (view the Request for Proposals). The event will be hosted by Kendra Collins, TACF’s Director of Regional Programs. We hope you will join us!
This beautiful print is now available!
As any chestnut enthusiast knows, it is a Race to the Finish to harvest nuts before the blue jays and squirrels. Maine Chapter President Mark McCollough painted this piece after being inspired by naturalist Bernd Heinrich’s observations of blue jays harvesting and caching American chestnuts throughout his woodlot in western Maine. All proceeds will benefit TACF conservation programs. A limited number of these 9 3/4″ x 12 3/4″ signed giclée prints are available through November 15. Learn more here.
Join the celebration!
The American Chestnut Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary! We invite you to join us at one of the many chapter festivities this year. Non-members are welcome to attend.
Science Strategies
Breeding, Biotechnology, and Biocontrol
United for Restoration
Support Our Research
How to identify an American chestnut tree
Learn how to identify American chestnuts and send us a sample for identification.
Support The Restoration
How to receive American chestnut seeds & seedlings
Learn how to get American chestnut seeds and seedlings from TACF.
Latest News
Kentucky Kicks Off TACF’s 40th Anniversary Chapter Celebrations
On Saturday, August 26, the Kentucky Chapter held a special annual meeting in Berea. This year, in addition to the usual chapter business, a fun and informative 40th anniversary event took place, which included talks from TACF staff and KY Chapter members, a viewing...
New Documentary Release
The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is excited to announce the release of CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut, a documentary about the grassroots efforts of passionate citizen scientists and researchers working to restore this ecologically and economically significant tree species.
Teaching Pollination Techniques to Enthusiastic Volunteers
The Tennessee Chapter held a very successful one-day pollination workshop on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at the beautiful Chestnut Ridge Orchard in Middle Tennessee. The workshop was a hands-on opportunity to learn and practice techniques to make controlled crosses for TACF’s breeding program.
Find us on Facebook
If you’re in PA, our Chief Conservation Officer will be presenting an update about American Chestnut Restoration on October 12th. Event is free. Details here
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For our Connecticut supporters, a great opportunity to tour, learn, have fun and participate! Details for the day:
The American Chestnut Foundation is celebrating 40 years of research and restoration!
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in Hamden started to plant chestnuts as early as 1941, and has been an incredible partner for the Foundation, allowing fruitful collaborations between their scientists and TACF. It is therefore the ideal place to celebrate this anniversary amongst their multitudes of chestnut orchards!
Please join the CT Chapter at the Lockwood Farm for the following program:
- 1 pm: Guided tour of the chestnut orchards by CAES Assistant Agricultural Scientist Susanna Keriö, TACF-CT Chapter President Jack Swatt, and TACF-CT Chapter Outreach Coordinator Florian Carle
- 2 pm: Screening of TACF’s new documentary film CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut outside, under the Pavillon (bring chairs or blankets)
- 3 pm: Self guided tour & hike at Sleeping Giant to see significant chestnut trees like “Sleeping Giant”, “Graves” (photo), or “Mahogany” (maps will be provided)
All interested people are invited.
This event is co-sponsored by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station who generously welcomes us at their farm.
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🌟The 15th West Virginia Chestnut Festival will be held in Rowlesburg, WV (Preston County) on Sunday, October 8, 2023.
🌟What to expect:
A full breakfast is served in the historic Rowlesburg School (now the Szilalgyi Center) from 9:00 -11:00 am.
Events, from 9:30 am-4:00 pm include roasted chestnuts in the Cheat River park along with vendors selling chestnut furniture and chestnut seedlings. Also, there will be honey products, arts and craft vendors, food and the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia Bird Exhibit.
The West Virginia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation will host a meeting on the second floor of the school from noon until 2:00 pm. Following the chapter meeting, there will be a technical session from 3:00 - 4:30 pm with featured speakers Cassie Stark, TACF's Mid-Atlantic Regional Science Coordinator and Dr. Lewis Cook, WV chapter board member.
🎥During the day, TACF's documentary film, CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut will be shown on the hour in a second-floor classroom of the school.
The gala banquet begins at 5:30 pm in the school auditorium; tickets are $15.00. Featured are the Madrigal Singers of Preston High School and a chestnut-themed dinner. The premier of the WV chapter documentary film, "The Once and Future Tree" will be shown during the banquet. Robert Tinnell and his film students at the Douglas Education Center in Monessen, PA documented the memories of older individuals who recalled the demise of the American chestnut.
All events are open to the public. Come and join us as TACF celebrates its 40th year, having been founded in 1983. Six members of the national organization will be in attendance, so any and all questions related to chestnut can be answered.
More details with the link in comments⬇️⬇️
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wvchestnutfestival.com Click for more details!
What a beautiful tribute to Carl Absher, longtime Virginia Chapter member, supporter and doer and total Chestnut enthusiast.
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Prayers for him and his loved ones.
Simon Zimmerman
Condolences to all who knew Carl.
How can we get some chestnuts to plant ?
A bit more detailed summary about Darling 58 chestnut chat discussion in case you just want a summary
Darling 58 | The American Chestnut Foundation
tacf.org
Darling 58 Rescue and Restoration of the American Chestnut The American chestnut was an ecologically, economically, and culturally significant tree species in the Eastern United States. In the late 18...2 CommentsComment on Facebook
I’ve been trying to contact your organization about a stand of American Chestnut trees I’ve stumbled upon in Rutherford County NC. I’ve received no response and I’m eager to help the cause of restoration of the American Chestnut
Hell no to genetic modification! No more franken science!
Upcoming Events
The TVA Orchard in Muscle Shoals AL is ready for harvest. Swing by to help out and take some chestnuts home! The TVA orchard has been a staple of the […]
Thursday September 28 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall Assembly Room on Bentley Drive in Harwinton. Presented by the Harwinton Public Library and Harwinton Land Conservation Trust. Join us […]