When: Monday, May 23: 9am – 3pm
Where: Across from 10041 558 East, Roselawn, IN
This is the site of the Indiana State Champion American chestnut tree. Measuring over 40” DBH, this tree is growing about 0.75” per year. One of the most exciting aspects of this site is that there is natural regeneration occurring. Seedlings from the 4 largest trees are popping up in the understory, a relatively rare occurrence for this species. Our job will be to map out the site and attempt to collect leaves from all the trees to be sent away for genetic sequencing. With those genetic data, we hope to determine parentage of the seedlings, distance the seedlings are moving from the parent tree(s), and how much inbreeding might be occurring from this small population. These data will then be compared to 3 other sites where natural regeneration is occurring (Atkinson, ME; Berlin, VT; and Spring Green, WI). We need help to tag, measure, and collect leaves from the trees.
Volunteers are welcome to come for any amount of time they are able.
