Connecticut News
Development of Nut Plains Park Orchard
A view of a beautiful new American chestnut seedling emerging from its nut as viewed down a Bluex Tree Tube Shelter. Photographer Leila Pinchot [click on photo to see larger version] A group of dedicated individuals, representing the American Chestnut Foundation and...
Siting Seed Orchards
In a seed orchard we plant 3000 nuts representing crosses between the twenty lines of trees we pollinated and grew in our backcross orchards. We monitor them for resistance and remove the trees until only those very resistant and American chestnut looking trees...
New Seed Orchards
What is a TACF Seed Orchard? A TACF seed orchard represents one of the final generations of breeding in TACF’s current breeding program. It’s the next step for the offspring of resistant trees identified in the Chapter’s Backcross Breeding Orchards. The Connecticut...
Nominating Committee – 2016 Report
CT-TACF Nominating Committee members John Baker (Chair), Woods Sinclair and Bill Adamsen are recommending the following slate of candidates for Board membership and for Chapter Officers: Nominees for Board membership Under the revised bylaws, as many as 10 Board...
2016 Annual Meeting
The CT Stormwise Program is the topic of our 2016 Annual Meeting Meeting Location - deKoven House, Middletown, CT Join us on Saturday April 23rd for the Annual Meeting of the CT Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation at the Rockfall Foundation's deKoven...
Spring Gallery
Chestnuts typically flower in late June or early July ... with the Chinese chestnut flowering a week or so earlier than the American chestnut, and those further north slightly delayed from the flowering of those further south or along the coast. Chestnut flowering is...
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National Facebook
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.
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Let’s keep walking the trail Rex helped blaze.
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We’re excited to share a new animated video explaining TACF’s RGS program!
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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)
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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!
Just another day working to bring back the American chestnut. 🌰
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Yikes. Most of those pictures look like very Chinese hybrids.
I have a very old American chestnut tree that has the blight . It gets chocked off then gets new growth. It got a lot of wind this year and lost a lot of the blooms. It produces nuts still . Does anyone want to get a start of the new fruit before I move or pass way ? I’m afraid the new owners will destroy it. This was the only reason I wanted this house in the late 80’s .
Hope you are successful!!!
Especially if you're under a canopy of American chestnuts...
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Unless, of course, it's fall. Then the chestnut seed pods are falling from the trees and creating a floor covered in pins and needles so sharp that it puts sweetgum to shame. You wouldn't want to be laying under the chestnut canopy then!
I live in Barboursville, WV and wanted to know if i can buy a seedling or how i go about acquiring one! Thank you!
The SHADE TREE COMMISSION in NEW PALTZ New York is interested in planting some CHESTNUT trees on Chestnut Street (Rt. 32). We would like to receive help from you if possible. New Paltz is a historic town and in the past there were MANY Chestnut trees here, Presently there is only ONE Chestnut tree which I grew from the nut of an elegant, large tree when it was sadly cut down. If there are any Chestnut trees available, or if you have any suggestion that might help us in this quest we would be greatful. Thank you for your attention., Shelly Ottens (moc.oohay@obobnyllehsih)