Inoculations Completed

Fortunes Cove Orchard

On July 1, volunteers completed inoculations of American chestnut trees at three Virginia breeding orchards: Blandy Farm in Clarke County, about 350 trees; Roland Farm in Fauquier County, about 250 trees; and Fortune’s Cove in Nelson County (about 350 trees). Inoculations are performed on backcrossed trees to determine whether they are hardy enough to survive the fungus responsible for killing millions of American chestnut trees during the 20th century. This very labor-intensive work was performed by a group of volunteers from throughout Virginia. They deserve our thanks for their dedication and hard work.

Virginia News Chapter Menu

Contact

Become A Member

Way To Give

National Facebook

The American Chestnut Foundation

3 days ago

Have a great photo of an American chestnut tree, bloom, bur, leaf, restoration planting, volunteer event, or wildlife interaction? We'd love to see it! (Photo pictured taken by 2025 2rd place winner Eric Sizemore)

First Place receives:
- Their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine
- A one-year TACF Seed Level Membership (a $300 value!)
- TACF merchandise

Second and Third Place winners will receive:
- TACF swag
- Recognition alongside the first-place winner in the 2027 Spring/Summer issue of Chestnut.

Submit your entries by December 31, 2026.

Visit the following link for more information and complete submission details: tacf.org/2026-photo-contest/

#AmericanChestnut #PhotoContest #TACF #ChestnutMagazine #ConservationPhotography #ForestRestoration #NaturePhotography ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

View Comments

likes love 31
Shares: 2
Comments: 1

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Josh Roudebush win it all bro I might know a few big boys for the shot

The American Chestnut Foundation

5 days ago

A bee enjoying a well deserved break after the chestnut pollination period. The tree it rests on is a hybrid castanea pumila x alabamensis (dwarf chestnut x Alabama chinquapin). ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

View Comments

likes love 103
Shares: 0
Comments: 1

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Voles got my chestnut, planted spring 2025

The American Chestnut Foundation

7 days ago

August Events! Double check with your states Chapter about events in your area.

Visit the following link for more information on the events: tacf.org/events/category/tacf/

#americanchestnut #Connecticut #NorthCarolina #SouthCarolina #getinvolved ... See MoreSee Less

August Events! Double check with your states Chapter about events in your area. Visit the following link for more information on the events: https://tacf.org/events/category/tacf/ #americanchestnut #Connecticut #NorthCarolina #SouthCarolina #getinvolved

View on Facebook

View Comments

likes 17
Shares: 0
Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

The American Chestnut Foundation

1 week ago

In a recent article for The Conversation, Dr. Steve Strauss discusses how advances in genomics and biotechnology are creating new opportunities to support chestnut restoration.

We're pleased to see perspectives from a longtime TACF collaborator. Steve served on our Science Advisory Review Committee in 2018 and currently has a pending proposal with TACF to improve genetic transformation methods for chestnut.

Give the article a read and let us know what part of chestnut restoration you're most excited about: theconversation.com/new-genetic-approaches-raise-hopes-for-restoring-the-american-chestnut-to-its... ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

View Comments

likes love haha wow angry 1579
Shares: 123
Comments: 30

30 CommentsComment on Facebook

Somewhere, waiting discovery deep inside the remote part of a forest towers a thriving blight resistant nut filled American Chestnut (surrounded by dead ones just so we know it was exposed and surviving). We can hope. Taking inspiration from the Dogwood saga.

Professors at S.U.N.Y E.S.F put a wheat gene in to Chestnuts years ago and have growing them

I thought the blight only killed the tree above the ground and not the root system that's why the chestnut resprouts and grows until it gets a scar on it and the blight kills the sprouted tree back down to the ground leaving more viable root system to sprout again in the future.

View more comments

The American Chestnut Foundation

2 weeks ago

Unlike most forest trees that rely mostly on wind, American chestnuts recruit insects too.

#americanchestnut #environmentaleducation #pollinator #nativetrees #dronefootage ... See MoreSee Less