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 Series
How American Chestnut Hybrids Interact with Their Environment
Join us on Friday, March 28, 2025, from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (EPT), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat.
Special guests Dr. Camila Filgueiras, Assistant Professor of Biology at UNC Asheville, and Dr. Jonathan Horton, Professor and Chair of Biology at UNC Asheville, will discuss their research into the ecological interactions between American chestnut hybrids and their environment, with a focus on insect communities and soil biodiversity. Whether you’re a scientist, grower, or simply passionate about conservation, this discussion will explore how hybridization can shape the future of forest restoration.
Annual Wild-Type Seed Sale
It’s almost here! TACF’s Annual Wild-Type American Chestnut Seed Sale is happening Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 9AM.
The cost per package of 10 seeds is $50 including shipping. (One bundle per customer.)
This is an extremely popular annual sale exclusively for current TACF members. Seed quantities are limited and are for sale while supplies last. Seeds may sell out quickly.
Please note that your membership or renewal must be recieved by March 1 and remain current through March 18 to be eligible to participate in the seedling sale.
Now Streaming
CLEAR DAY THUNDER: Rescuing the American Chestnut is now available for public viewing! For just $10, you will receive unlimited views and the ability to watch on multiple devices and to download.
All proceeds support the film’s production costs and 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.
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
Learn how to get American chestnut seeds from TACF.
Latest News
The American Chestnut Foundation Welcomes Interim President & CEO Bruce Levine
Bruce Levine, member of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) since 1995, has graciously stepped into the interim position of president & CEO while the search begins for TACF’s next leader. Bruce was unanimously voted in by the Board to fill this important role....
Letter from TACF Board Chair to Announce Resignation of President & CEO Dr. William Pitt
TACF President & CEO Dr. William PittDear Members and Friends of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), On behalf of the Board of Directors, I write to inform you that Dr. Will Pitt, President & CEO of our organization, will resign his position effective...
Remembering President Jimmy Carter 1924-2024
Dear friends, The board of directors and staff of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) mourn the loss of President Jimmy Carter, who died yesterday at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. An Honorary Director at TACF since the very early days of the...
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Recently, the Quantitative Research class at Emory & Henry University toured the Price and Duncan farms at Meadowview Research Farms (MRF). The students will use data collected at MRF to conduct various analyses, focusing specifically on open pollination seed data from 2022-2024. This hands-on experience allows the students to work with real-world data and gain a deeper understanding of its applications. The tour highlighted the projects the data originates from, giving them valuable context for their analyses and a clearer understanding of why their results matter. We are thankful for our partnerships with Emory & Henry University and hope to continue growing them!
#americanchestnut #castaneadentata #americanchestnutfoundation #ChestnutResearch #meadowviewresearchfarms #emoryhenryuniversity
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Plant European chestnuts 🌰
Have you looked at TACF's events calendar lately? If you're looking for some chestnut-related fun, it's a great place to start!
tacf.org/events/category/tacf/
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Last week, the team at Meadowview Research Farms focused on grafting, a project they have been iterating over the past few years by testing different techniques. Grafting involves combining the rootstock of one tree, in this case, the disease-resistant Chinese chestnut, with the budwood of another, the wild American chestnut. This helps produce multiple replicates of the valuable traits and genetics of the American chestnut for future controlled crosses and restoration.
#americanchestnut #CastaneaDentata #americanchestnutfoundation #chestnutresearch #meadowviewresearchfarms #grafting
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But.... does it help? Or does the blight still find its way into the tree? It won't come back by graft....
Dolly Parton has long been a champion of the American chestnut and a supporter of TACF’s restoration mission. Her latest involvement was participating in our documentary film Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut. All of us at TACF send our deepest condolences on the loss of Carl Dean.
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Good hearted woman!
news report as we delve into the timeless love story of country music icon Dolly Parton and her husband : youtu.be/adIRIrcuQyg
This Wednesday, the Meadowview Research Farms team partnered with the Asheville-based Development team to pack and ship seeds for distribution to our members! Seed level members receive open-pollinated seed from mother trees that are chosen through our Recurrent Genomic Selection process. This ongoing initiative helps distribute high-quality seeds nationwide, supporting germplasm conservation, and is one of the ways the public can get chestnut seeds from TACF! If you are interested in receiving seeds from TACF, visit our website and become a seed level member today.
#americanchestnut #CastaneaDentata #americanchestnutfoundation #chestnutresearch #meadowviewresearchfarms #SeedDistribution #Conservation
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Upcoming Events
The extremely popular Annual Wild-Type American Chestnut Seed Sale starts at 9 AM on March 18! This sale is only open to members of The American Chestnut Foundation. You must […]
The American Chestnut Foundation's Annual Spring Meeting 2025 will be held at the Southwest Virginia Education Center in Abingdon, VA from Thursday, March 20th through Saturday, March 22nd. (Attendance iby […]
Join us on Friday, March 28, 2025, from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (Eastern), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat.Special guests Dr. Camila Filgueiras, Assistant Professor of Biology at UNC […]