Lexington, KY ? The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), a 5,300 member-strong organization will hold its 22nd annual meeting here next week. Tree-growers, scientists, state and federal government officials as well as citizen scientist volunteers will meet to discuss the current status and the future of that most beloved of trees ? the American chestnut. Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher will be a featured speaker at the meeting. Several members from the Connecticut chapter of TACF are attending, including current President Marshal Case. During the two-day event, they will hear presentations from geneticists, plant pathologists and tree breeders on a wide range of topics such as ?Planting and Growing Chestnuts? and ?Edible Chestnuts: A New Industry Emerges.?
TACF was established in 1983 with the sole purpose of restoring this majestic tree to its native forests in the eastern United States, and the Foundation has supported the efforts of scientists who are working to develop a blight-resistant American chestnut.
At one time, the American chestnut was the dominant tree in forests from Maine, south through Georgia and west to the Ohio valley. Both wildlife and rural families depended on the nuts, as did the livestock of most farmers. And chestnut provided timber unrivaled in quality. Straight-grained and strong, chestnut lumber went into everything from furniture, to barns to telephone poles. But billions of trees were destroyed as the result of a blight that was introduced into the United States in the early 1900?s and TACF is hoping to bring the tree back to its former glory.
Marshal Case, President and CEO of the Foundation said,
?This meeting is always a great opportunity for our members as well as our scientists to get together to talk about the progress we?re making on developing a blight-resistant American chestnut. We?re riding a wave of terrific goodwill and support ranging from President Bush and the White House tree planting ceremony in April, to our partnership with the United States Forest Service, to our meeting with former President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center last month.?
