Volunteers Power Our Mission
Many hands make light work! TACF volunteers are interesting, inspired folks you get to know as you work, learn, and grow trees together! If you crave connection and want to create positive change, Maine TACF is a great place to give and to get both.
We believe that we can recreate the forest community and revitalize our human community at the same time. We’re doing it day by day. Won’t you join us?
With your help we can accomplish these tasks and more this year:
Chestnut Restoration — Join or start a Chestnut Restoration Team near you. Plant, tend and share chestnut trees and their story with others. Chestnuts-Across-Maine partners with local land trusts, parks, schools and towns to connect people and chestnuts.
Potting seeds — In February we gather at a member’s greenhouse to pot up the nuts that will become the seedlings of 2025.
Inoculating — In June we will inject live blight fungus into the bark of about 3000 trees in our seed orchards in Searsport, Phippsburg, Stetson, Hartland, and Winthrop, to see if the trees show any sign of blight resistance.
Evaluating — Trees inoculated in June of 2024 will be evaluated by TACF scientists to see how well they fared against the fungus.
Roguing — From May through October any trees that succumbed to the blight will be cut down and removed from the seed orchards, leaving more room for the other trees.
Pollinating — In July or August, volunteers will transfer pollen collected from our more promising trees to the blooming flowers of other high performing chestnuts.
Harvesting — In the fall we’ll gather nuts from pure American chestnuts and any hand pollinated “best by best” crosses. The narrow harvest window is usually September 25 through October 10.
Husking— A couple weeks after harvest, it’s all hands on husks to open the spiny burs (with tough gloves) to reveal 2-3 delicious, sweet nuts tucked inside. Hot cider, roasting chestnuts and lively conversation remind us why volunteering is so rewarding.
Learn more about Volunteering
Time is our most precious resource to give. At TACF we treat your time like a valuable gift to the future. Opportunities abound for volunteers, even those who don’t love field work. Take this easy first step: Sign up to volunteer. Our volunteer coordinator will contact you to help you find a good fit for your skills and interests.
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National Facebook
"American chestnut trees were wiped out more than a century ago. Now, new trees that are fungus-resistant are being planted at the zoo."
Read this article by the New York Times about a chestnut tree planting today at the Bronx Zoo, where chestnut blight was first discovered.
Click the following link to read the article: www.nytimes.com/2026/10/05/nyregion/chestnut-trees-bronx-zoo.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GVE.LAU...
#news #americanchestnut #explore #NY #forestry
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We had a chestnut tree in the yard of an air bnb in Washington's Crossing, PA.
They are hybrid trees, not full American.
Utter waste of time. They’ll be dead from the blight in 50 years just like all true Anerican chestnut trees. These scientists are creating hybrids because they cannot stop the blight.
We're grateful to see the important work of American chestnut restoration highlighted by Wild Appalachia.
The segment features WV Chapter member Mark Double and TACF partner Dr. Amy Metheny of WVU, who share why restoring this iconic native tree matters and the progress being made in West Virginia and beyond.
Watch the whole video or read the article here: wchstv.com/community/wild-appalachia/wild-appalachia-american-chestnut-restoration
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my daughter in mt pleasant ny ( catskills) has a huge american chestnut tree in front of her 1904 home. somehow it missed the blight
I just sent this as email to Governor Morrisey in West Virginia. Please do the same and send to everyone and anyone who may be able to help in an effort to save Clements Nursery American Chestnut Grove. "Dear Governor Morrisey. I have learned that a private corporation plans to destroy the grove of American Chestnut trees at Clements Nursery. For the love of god and all that is good in this world please help to preserve these American Chestnut trees. There are not that many genuine American Chestnut trees that are still growing and what you have there in West Virginia is a national treasure that cannot be replaced with any amount of money, gold or riches. I among with many other multi generational Americans believe this grove of trees should be a treasured working national historic landmark producing seeds and seedling for reestablishing genuine pure American Chestnut trees in our Appalachian Mountains and throughout our country."
They are planning to destroy the site on Nov. 1, 2026 for a data center 🙁
Georgia folks, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Chestnutoberfest happening on October 17th! #Georgia
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October is packed with opportunities to support American chestnut restoration! Join us in shucking chestnuts for open-fire roasting this winter and next spring’s plantings, or celebrate at an American Chestnut Festival near you. Don’t see an event hosted by your Chapter? Reach out to learn how you can help during the busy harvest season.
Need more information about an event? Visit: tacf.org/events/category/tacf/
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
I just sent this as email to Governor Morrisey in West Virginia. Please do the same and send to everyone and anyone who may be able to help in an effort to save Clements Nursery American Chestnut Grove. "Dear Governor Morrisey. I have learned that a private corporation plans to destroy the grove of American Chestnut trees at Clements Nursery. For the love of god and all that is good in this world please help to preserve these American Chestnut trees. There are not that many genuine American Chestnut trees that are still growing and what you have there in West Virginia is a national treasure that cannot be replaced with any amount of money, gold or riches. I among with many other multi generational Americans believe this grove of trees should be a treasured working national historic landmark producing seeds and seedling for reestablishing genuine pure American Chestnut trees in our Appalachian Mountains and throughout our country."
And just FYI, Umit Sedar, OMU (university) in Turkey got a lot of seed from Lockwood for their breeding program. Yes, I will join the zoom meeting on the 9th. Sandy
Why aren't you folks screaming about the Clements Tree Farm destruction? 2/3 for a data center??? The destruction is supposed to be underway Nov 1st! What are the arborists doing to at least save whats on those 100 acres? Why isn't this in your newsletter and website?