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Chestnut Pollination Season

by Bill Adamsen Achieving the goals set out in our regional adaptation program require finding native American chestnuts and capturing their genes. We do this by finding American chestnut that can be ... a) validated as being pure American chestnut b) cooperate by...

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Hunting the Elusive Flowering Chestnut

by Christine Cadigan After a day of testing the hypothesis suggested in A Needle in a Haystack, I think our geospatial predictor hypothesis for chestnut may have merit. Those of you who read the article will recall that we used soil type, road proximity, sun aspect...

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The Needle in a Haystack

Or ... how to improve our chances of finding native American chestnut by Christine Cadigan It's that time of year when we pull out all stops trying to find native American chestnut trees to pollinate across the native range. A recent suggestion by CT-TACF member...

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Orchard Takes Root in Middletown

by Jane Harris Phase One of the collaboration between Middletown Connecticut's Urban Forestry Commission, Water & Sewer Department, AIC, Middletown Garden Club and the CT Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (CT-TACF) is off to a roaring start! The new...

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Wigwam Brook Test Orchard

By Bill Adamsen [click for larger photo] In December of 2008, John Baker, a member of long standing in both Litchfield Hills Audubon (LHA) and the American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) called to chat about a new property Litchfield Hills Audubon had recently acquired....

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A Thin Slice of Chestnut

Written by Bill Adamsen CT Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation Yesterday a most unusual and welcome gift arrived in the mail. A micro-thin slice of American chestnut embedded between thin panels in a sandwich of glass, and described by its sender as a Magic...

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8 hours ago

A major milestone for conservation science.

Our Director of Science, Dr. Jared Westbrook, has published new research in “Science” showing how genomic tools can transform endangered species recovery. By using recurrent genomic selection, we can predict resilience earlier, shorten breeding cycles, and build a restoration system that grows stronger with every generation.

This model doesn’t just help the American chestnut, it could guide restoration for threatened species across the world.

Read the full article: www.science.org/eprint/SBHDH76BXDK366UMHU44/full?activationRedirect=/doi/full/10.1126/science.adw...

#ScienceResearch #ConservationScience #americanchestnut #restoration #conservation #science #nature #explorepage #chestnuts
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A major milestone for conservation science.Our Director of Science, Dr. Jared Westbrook, has published new research in “Science” showing how genomic tools can transform endangered species recovery. By using recurrent genomic selection, we can predict resilience earlier, shorten breeding cycles, and build a restoration system that grows stronger with every generation.This model doesn’t just help the American chestnut, it could guide restoration for threatened species across the world.Read the full article: https://www.science.org/eprint/SBHDH76BXDK366UMHU44/full?activationRedirect=/doi/full/10.1126/science.adw3225#ScienceResearch #ConservationScience #americanchestnut #restoration #conservation #science #nature #explorepage #chestnutsImage attachment

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

Across the world...is that like around the world?

Anyone have any links or information about Iodine use soil/spray and duration for eradicating or postponing the fungal infection? All the research I've done shows Iodine could cure the infection if using science.

Would this work for the American elm tree?

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We’re honored to be highlighted in this AVLtoday feature on the American chestnut’s story in Western North Carolina.

While the path to restoration is long, moments like this remind us how many people care about bringing this tree back to the landscape it once defined.

Thank you to everyone who continues to help this story grow.

Read the article: avltoday.6amcity.com/chestnut-tree-wnc

Photo curtsey of Audrey Snow Owen of PA/NJ TACF

#americanchestnut #explorepage #restoration #conservation #environment #nature #asheville #chestnuts
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We’re honored to be highlighted in this AVLtoday feature on the American chestnut’s story in Western North Carolina. While the path to restoration is long, moments like this remind us how many people care about bringing this tree back to the landscape it once defined.Thank you to everyone who continues to help this story grow.Read the article: https://avltoday.6amcity.com/chestnut-tree-wncPhoto curtsey of Audrey Snow Owen of PA/NJ TACF#americanchestnut #explorepage #restoration #conservation #environment #nature #asheville #chestnuts

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Is the photo a back crossed hybrid of American chestnut and Chinese chestnut?

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

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

Hopefully they will be developing a mold resistant tree.

That's a really interesting perspective. I think a lot of woodcraft and other types of knowledge about the natural world, like astronomy, had to be shared. Also, marine skills.

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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