Connecticut news

2009 Annual Meeting

This is a reminder to mark Saturday March 14th on your calendar for the annual meeting of the CT Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation. The meeting will be held in Guilford, CT. The program is free for both members and non-members, as is lunch for those who advance register. To advance register simply call, or preferably e-mail to indicate your interest in attending.

We'll be presenting 2 1/2 hours of scientific lectures about the American chestnut. We'll also provide an update on both TACF's, and the CT Chapter of TACF's progress toward growing blight resistant trees. Those members collecting credits for the CT Arborists License can earn 2.5 CEUs for attending the program. The necessary paperwork will be available when you check in in person.

The presentations will be followed by operational meetings attended by those of you with an interest or business in attending. We hope you'll take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to hear Dr. Dane and find out more about the The American Chestnut Foundation vision and success. You are welcome to attend just those sections of the meeting that interest you as outlined in the agenda below.

Agenda

9:30am Opening Reception

10:00am Introduction – Chapter President Bill Adamsen

10:15am Keynote – Dr. Fenny Dane – Evolutionary history of American Castanea species

11:15am Sara Fitzsimmons – TACF Goes to China and propagation techniques used by TACF

12:00pm Lunch

1:00pm Kendra Gurney – Cold Tolerance for American chestnut. Plus TACF Operational Updates.

1:30pm Chapter Business (Bylaws, Elections, and then close of Annual Meeting)

2:00pm CT-TACF Board Meeting – Open to All!

4:00pm Expected close of Chapter business

alternate About Our Keynote Speaker

Dr. Fenny Dane earned her B.S. at Wageningen in the Netherlands, her M.S. at New Mexico State University and Ph.D. at Colorado State University.

Dr. Dane's research program is geared toward unraveling stress tolerance mechanisms in plant species, and to the investigation of the phylogeny and biogeography of Castanea species. Dr. Dane discovered that chloroplast (cp) DNA sequence data set patterns were geographically structured, and has used cpDNA patterns to explain hypothesized migration and dispersion for chestnut and chinkapin.

Home page of Fenny Dane at Auburn

Migration of Castenea Article

Meeting Location

Nathanael B Greene Community Center — 32 Church Street, Guilford

Driving Directions

I-95 northbound: Take exit 58 — Keep right off the ramp and turn right onto Church Street/CT-77 southbound. Follow for .7 miles, through one traffic light. The Community Center will be on your right.

1-95 southbound: Take exit 58 — Turn left onto Church Street/CT-77 and follow for .8 miles, through one traffic light. The Community Center will be on your right.

Parking

There is parking at the community center. For directions day of the event (in case you're lost) call the Community Center at — 203.453.8068

Reservations

E-mail or call 917.796.4284 to reserve (for the free) lunch.


View Larger Map

Connecticut news Chapter Menu

National Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Lucinda’s got a tree to introduce you to 🌳👋
Meet even more trees at tacf.org/meet-the-trees/
... See MoreSee Less

8 CommentsComment on Facebook

This is D2-19-136 if you'd like to view it on our webpage!

Great video, keep them coming.

Great job guys!

View more comments

Reminder! TACF's 2025 American Chestnut Photo Contest is going on now, with a new, extended deadline!

The first-place winner will have their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine and receive a one-year TACF membership, along with a T-shirt and hat. The second-place winner will receive a T-shirt and sticker, and the third-place winner will receive a sticker. All winners will be recognized in a future issue of Chestnut.

Visit tacf.org/2025-photo-contest/ for all the details.
... See MoreSee Less

Reminder! TACFs 2025 American Chestnut Photo Contest is going on now, with a new, extended deadline! The first-place winner will have their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine and receive a one-year TACF membership, along with a T-shirt and hat. The second-place winner will receive a T-shirt and sticker, and the third-place winner will receive a sticker. All winners will be recognized in a future issue of Chestnut.Visit https://tacf.org/2025-photo-contest/ for all the details.

1 CommentComment on Facebook

who has chestnut seeds? i want to grow some.

Celebrate the legacy of Rex Mann—forester, storyteller, and passionate champion for the American chestnut—with this limited edition Leave Tracks t-shirt.

Rex devoted his life to restoring forests and inspiring others to care for the land. Now, you can honor his memory and help carry his mission forward.

🌳 100% of the proceeds from every shirt go to The American Chestnut Foundation (THANK YOU!), supporting the work Rex believed in so deeply.

👉 Pre-order now through August 2: scottmann.com/store/Leave-Tracks-In-Honor-of-Rex-Mann-PREORDER-p768130686

Let’s keep walking the trail Rex helped blaze.
... See MoreSee Less

Celebrate the legacy of Rex Mann—forester, storyteller, and passionate champion for the American chestnut—with this limited edition Leave Tracks t-shirt.Rex devoted his life to restoring forests and inspiring others to care for the land. Now, you can honor his memory and help carry his mission forward.🌳 100% of the proceeds from every shirt go to The American Chestnut Foundation (THANK YOU!), supporting the work Rex believed in so deeply.👉 Pre-order now through August 2: https://scottmann.com/store/Leave-Tracks-In-Honor-of-Rex-Mann-PREORDER-p768130686Let’s keep walking the trail Rex helped blaze.

We’re excited to share a new animated video explaining TACF’s RGS program! ... See MoreSee Less

Video image

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Transgenic American Chestnuts are still a much better option. The product of this method will always be a hybrid and that should not be the goal.

One of the greatest ecological disasters the US has ever seen. Chestnut blight wiped out the American chestnut tree in less than 50 years.⁠
A tree that once made up nearly 25% of the eastern forests was reduced to a functionally extinct species.⁠

The Asian fungus Cryphonectria parasitica was accidentally introduced into the United States in the late 1800s. While a few diseased chestnuts were noted in the 1880s and 90s, it wasn't until 1904 that the pathogen was identified in New York City. From that point, the blight spread rapidly. By 1950 the entire range had been consumed.⁠

The fungus causes cankers that spread around the trunk of the tree, girdling it and killing everything above ground. Many root systems still survive today and continue to send up shoots, but these also eventually succumb to blight. Because American chestnuts rarely survive long enough to reproduce, the species is considered functionally extinct.⁠

The American Chestnut Foundation is working to develop blight-resistant American chestnuts that can be used to restore this iconic tree to its native range. Learn more at tacf.org/about-us (link in bio)
... See MoreSee Less

145 CommentsComment on Facebook

I think I may have found an American Chestnut tucked away in a backyard

Incredibly important work…it was such a travesty for our forests!

The trees seem to still be intact outside their range in isolated areas. Theres a few large ones here in central Michigan on a peninsula and again on the Leelenau peninsula in the nw lower peninsula. I keep seeing people chime in about adult trees here and there. Seems like there's hope!

View more comments

Load more

Subscribe to the CT Chapter Newsletter

* indicates required