Connecticut news

2013 CT Chapter Annual Meeting

deKoven House, Rockfall Foundation, Middletown, CT[click for larger photo]
deKoven House, Rockfall Foundation, Middletown, CT

Join us on Saturday April 6th for the Annual Meeting of the CT Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation at the Rockfall Foundation's deKoven House in Middletown, CT. We will have two great presenters in the morning and an afternoon field trip ? we hope you'll mark your calendar and join us! If you plan to attend, you MUST RSVP by calling Kendra Gurney at 802.951.6771 x1350 or sending her an e-mail at gro.fca@ardnek.

We have been approved to offer qualified attendees 2.5 CEU hours of credit in the following licensing categories: Forest Pest Management (category 2), Arborist (category 3D) and Demonstration and Research (category 10). Submission forms and sign-up will be available at the meeting. For further information please contact gro.fca@ardnek.

Simply looking for directions? See the Rockfall Foundation’s website or download the brochure with map [595kb] in easily printable format.

Leila Pinchot[click for larger photo]
Leila Pinchot, Photo: Matt Wilson

Topic: Reintroducing American Chestnut to the Northeast – Some Thoughts

Leila Pinchot is a Research Fellow at the Pinchot Institute for Conservation in Milford, PA. She will discuss early results from an American chestnut reintroduction study on the Milford Experimental Forest in eastern Pennsylvania, in the context of reintroducing chestnut to private forestlands in the Northeast. She will also briefly discuss two upcoming chestnut reintroduction studies she is developing.

Leila received her Ph.D. in Natural Resources from The University of Tennessee, her Masters of Forestry from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and her B.A. from Oberlin College. She has worked on American chestnut restoration research and outreach in various capacities over the past ten years.

For more information about our speaker, visit the Pinchot Institute for Conservation's web-site.

Topic: The History of American Chestnut Restoration Research at Great Mountain Forest and What Recovery of the Species Might Mean for CT Forests

Starling Childs is a is a private forestry consultant with the firm of EECOS Ecological Consultants (EECOS), and also serves as the President of the Great Mountain Forest Corporation (GMF), a private operating foundation in Norfolk, CT, established for forestry research and education. He will speak about the early history and unsuccessful efforts to establish out-plantings of chestnut at GMF, as well as the more recent establishment of a CT-TACF chestnut orchard on a part of the property. In addition, he will discuss the important niches that chestnut once provided in the southern New England forest ecosystem and what the eventual recovery of this species might mean for the sustainable future of our forests.

Star received a BS in Geology and Natural Resources from Yale College and a Masters in Forest Science from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He has maintained a lifelong association with Yale's forestry and environmental students and faculty who continue to visit GMF every year in order to navigate and discover the mysteries and intricacies of Connecticut's forested landscapes.

For more information about our speaker, visit the EECOS web-site or the Great Mountain Forest web-site.

Rockfall Map[click for larger image]
Rockfall Parking Map

The presentations will immediately follow a short annual business meeting where we will run Officer and Board Member elections. Members are encouraged to attend.

Agenda
9:30am Opening Reception
10:00am Annual Business Meeting and Elections
10:30am Introduction and Speakers
12:00pm Lunch (Attendees MUST RSVP)
1:00pm Tour of Middletown Orchard
2:30pm Expected close of Meeting

The program is free to both members and non-members, as is lunch for those who advance register. To advance register e-mail to indicate your interest in attending.

We thank the Rockfall Foundation for providing the venue for the presentations.


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We’re thrilled to see Backpacker shining a light on the American chestnut and TACF’s work to restore this mighty tree. 🌰 Read the article here: www.backpacker.com/stories/american-chestnut-trees-comeback/ ... See MoreSee Less

We’re thrilled to see Backpacker shining a light on the American chestnut and TACF’s work to restore this mighty tree. 🌰 Read the article here: https://www.backpacker.com/stories/american-chestnut-trees-comeback/

8 CommentsComment on Facebook

We have one across the street from our new home in Leicester NC. We have been collecting!

There are several survivor trees in the mountains outside of town that bear nuts.

Save our American Chestnuts!

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It can be tricky to tell the difference between various chestnut varieties. In this video, TACF staff membe Angus shows the differences between Chinese chestnut leaves and stems and American chestnut leaves and stems. ... See MoreSee Less

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

Nice details. I can easily confirm exactly what you’re sharing. We have both on our property. TY

Thank you! Can you do a breakdown of the chestnuts themselves too??

I'd love to see one of European or dunstan VS American

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Getting involved in your local state chapter is one of the best ways to support the American chestnut, and a great way to get access to seeds and seedlings! Visit tacf.org and select "Chapters" to learn more. ... See MoreSee Less

7 CommentsComment on Facebook

Are we able to genetically recreate the original?

Are these edible by humans?

I have a log cabin in Maryland All American chestnut. It was built 1870I figure the logs are approximately 360 years old from birth.

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🌰 Over the course of this year’s harvest season, more than 20 volunteers from Emory & Henry University, King University, Master Gardeners, and Master Naturalists joined us at TACF’s Meadowview Research Farms to help process burs and collect seeds for the next generation of American chestnuts. Together, they shucked over 17,000 burs, yielding over 30,000 seeds that will support research, our partners, outreach events, as well as our RGS program. 🌳

Their time, energy, and commitment make an incredible difference in the success of our restoration work. As the 2025 harvest season officially comes to a close, we’re deeply thankful for our volunteers and partners — this effort wouldn’t be possible without you! 🍂

#AmericanChestnut #MeadowviewResearchFarms #AmericanChestnutFoundation #ChestnutRestoration #ConservationScience #Harvest #VolunteerAppreciation
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4 CommentsComment on Facebook

What about the Beetles? The ones I picked here ended up being full of them.

Thank you!

I want plant some on my farm were should i get them?

🌰 It’s National Nut Day! 🌰
What better way to celebrate than by helping restore the most iconic nut tree of them all: the American chestnut.

When you donate $25 or more to our End of Year Campaign: One Tree, Many Hands between Oct 22–31, you’ll be entered for one of three chances to win a Seed Level membership with The American Chestnut Foundation! 🌱

Seed Level members receive a subscription to Chestnut magazine, early access to wild-type seedling sales, and four chestnut seeds with intermediate blight resistance, a gift that helps grow the future of this iconic tree.

Visit support.tacf.org/2025-end-of-year for your chance!
... See MoreSee Less

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

Can anyone tell me which species of Chestnut this is? It is growing at the edge of the Heard Farm meadow in Wayland, MA. The tree is maybe 40 feet tall.

Looking for chinquipan trees or seed. Anyone help me?

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