Invitation to a New Jersey American Chestnut Meeting Saturday March 11, 2006 Prallsville Mills, Stockton, NJ
The Pennsylvania Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (PA-TACF) invites you to a general informational meeting for those who would like to assist in Chapter activities in New Jersey.
As part of The American Chestnut Foundation?s (TACF) mission to restore the American chestnut tree to its original range, we are backcrossing the American with the Chinese chestnut tree to breed blight-resistance into the American tree. Although most American chestnut trees died in the early 1900s from an exotic fungus known as the chestnut blight, some of their roots still live and, if undisturbed, will send up new shoots. Typically,
these sprouts get blight after a short time and die again. Our objective is to overcome the fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica and bring back what was once one of the largest hardwood species in North America. More information is on our web
site, http://www.pattacf.org
We will give a history of the American chestnut tree, its uses to man and wildlife, as well as an overview of our current backcross program. After lunch, we will make a short trip to the Jarboe field owned by the New Jersey Conservation
Foundation (NJCF) where we have started four small plots to test the soil. It is in this field that we want to plant several blocks of fifth generation (BC3F2) Graves source of resistance material. At that generation, we expect to have trees with high amounts of blight-resistance, including an
estimated 1.6%, or 1 of 64, of the trees to harbor
full blight-resistance.
For those who wish to see a second field, we will visit NJCF?s Bruce field with 3 year old fourth generation chestnut trees from the Graves source of resistance. After visiting these locations, one should have a better idea of the necessary
maintenance required in maintaining a chestnut orchard. We also hope you will learn how you can help us bring a new food source to man and all wildlife. At the same time we will be creating
jobs for industry and bring the largest tree in the east back from the brink of extinction.
Place Prallsville Mills in Stockton, NJ 08559 (Directions attached).
Date Saturday March 11, 2006
Agenda
- 10:00am ? 10:45am – PowerPoint slideshow presentation
- 10:45am ? 11:00am – Questions and Break
- 11:00am ?12:00pm – What we are doing where in NJ; where you can help and the potential for a chestnut chapter in the Garden State.
- Lunch 12:00pm – We ask that you bring $5.00 to help cover expenses.
- Tour 1:00 pm Visit NJCF orchards, weather permitting.
If the weather is good or bad we will probably be walking in mud. Please dress accordingly.
For additional information, please contact PA-TACF?s Pennsylvania Chestnut Research and Operations Center at Penn State University:
- Phone: 814-863-7192
- E-mail: ude.usp@2oks (Sue)
- Address: 206 Forest Resources Lab
- University Park, PA 16802
See “Download” link below for printable directions.
