Connecticut news

Nancy Spofford Yerkes Foundation makes gift to support the American Chestnut Orchards in Connecticut

Planting the newest CT Seed Orchard in Hurlbut Field, in partnership with the Winchester Land Trust on May 15, 2021

The American Chestnut Foundation announced today a gift by the Nancy Spofford Yerkes Foundation, Inc to support our chapter for continued planting and monitoring of the American Chestnuts in Connecticut.

Given the tremendous American chestnut harvest we had last fall in Connecticut, this gift will go toward the creation of a new combined chestnut and apple orchard at the Denison Homestead Farm, create new and maintain our existing germplasm conservation orchards in Connecticut, and support the work of our New England Regional Science Coordinator Kendra Collins and her team during the inoculations and grading the CT backcross orchards this Spring and Summer.

The Nancy Spofford Yerkes Foundation supports organizations that nurture the health or the environment, society, and the arts.

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Freedom seekers—enslaved Africans and African Americans who escaped slavery in pursuit of freedom—faced hunger, exposure, and unfamiliar terrain as they journeyed north.

Black History Month provides an important opportunity to honor the past while also recognizing how Black knowledge, leadership, and community continue to shape the present. From histories rooted in land and survival to modern platforms and outdoor spaces where connection and representation matter.

Throughout February, we will share a series of four stories that explore Black relationships to land, legacy, and community, looking at both historical foundations and contemporary expressions.

Read more about Freedom Seekers: tacf.org/black-history-and-the-american-chestnut/

#BlackHistoryMonth #americanchestnut #explorepage #chestnuts #BlackHistoryMonth2026 #restoration #Conservation #history
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Freedom seekers—enslaved Africans and African Americans who escaped slavery in pursuit of freedom—faced hunger, exposure, and unfamiliar terrain as they journeyed north.Black History Month provides an important opportunity to honor the past while also recognizing how Black knowledge, leadership, and community continue to shape the present. From histories rooted in land and survival to modern platforms and outdoor spaces where connection and representation matter.Throughout February, we will share a series of four stories that explore Black relationships to land, legacy, and community, looking at both historical foundations and contemporary expressions.Read more about Freedom Seekers: https://tacf.org/black-history-and-the-american-chestnut/ #blackhistorymonth #americanchestnut #explorepage #chestnuts #blackhistorymonth2026 #restoration #conservation #historyImage attachmentImage attachment

2 CommentsComment on Facebook

Hopefully they will be developing a mold resistant tree.

Chestnuts?

January might feel like the quiet season, but at our research farms it’s already time to get growing. This month, we’re sowing chestnut seeds that will be used in upcoming research and breeding efforts. Starting seeds in January gives us a valuable head start on the growing season, allowing seedlings to establish early and be ready for genotyping in the spring and summer. Each seed represents an important step forward in our research, helping us better understand growth, resistance, and performance across chestnut species and hybrids. #AmericanChestnut #RestorationInProgress

#ChestnutResearch #ForestRestoration #MeadowviewResearchFarms #ChestnutSeedlings
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Does everyone's staff retreat include fungus, tree bark, and chestnut beer... or just ours?

#americanchestnut #explorepage #restoration #conservation #chestnuts #worktrip #staffretreat
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how do we get american chestnut seedlings to plant?

Great video!!!

Black History Month provides an important opportunity to honor the past while also recognizing how Black knowledge, leadership, and community continue to shape the present. From histories rooted in land and survival to modern platforms and outdoor spaces where connection and representation matter.
Throughout February, we will share a series of four stories that explore Black relationships to land, legacy, and community, looking at both historical foundations and contemporary expressions. We begin with an exploration of the Coe Ridge Colony, an African American community founded after the Civil War, whose history offers important insight into self‑determination, resilience, and adaptation.

Visit tacf.org/black-history-and-the-american-chestnut/ to read more about the Coe Ridge Colony!

#BlackHistoryMonth #americanchestnut #Blackhistory2026 #restoration #Conservation #forestry #environment #explorepage #nature #history
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