Georgia News

GA-TACF Annual Meeting May 2, 2026

The Georgia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation

GEHC

GA-TACF will hold its annual meeting on May 2, starting at 9:30 AM at Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center in Buford, GA. The meeting is open to both chapter members and the general public.

Although we will briefly address some business matters, most of the meeting will be devoted to presentations related to our work helping to restore American chestnuts in GA.  Among the business items is the election of directors for the board. The board hereby invites nominations for director positions which should include the candidate’s contact information, a brief biographical sketch, and a summary of why the candidate appears well-suited for board service.

Please register your attendance by reserving admission via the Eventbrite link shown below. More details about the meeting will be added here. Pre-registration via this site is encouraged and is free, however, lunch orders ($15 + tax/fees) must be made using this Eventbrite site (no later than April 30).

Click here for Eventbrite Link

Agenda:

9:30 am Doors open, Coffee and Meet-and-Greet in Founders Hall

Morning session, 10 AM – NOON

1) 10:00 am. Welcome and Introduction by Chapter President Dr. Martin Cipollini

2) 10:15 am. Chapter business meeting:

  • Election of chapter directors, Scott Laseter (Governance Committee chair)
  • Budget report, Vince Payne (Treasurer)

3) 10:45 am. An update from TACF’s CEO Michael Goergen and introduction of Zach Anderson as our new Southern Regional Science Coordinator.

4) 11:15 am. Science updates, Dr. Martin Cipollini (President and Science Coordinator)

  • A Brief Overview of the American Chestnut and GA-TACF’s work
  • Recurrent Genomic Selection (RGS): What is it?
  • Selection for Phytophthora root rot (PRR) resistance in Georgia.

5) 12:00 noon. Lunch directions

Lunch break and Afternoon Session, 12:30 – ? at Cloudland Vineyards

1) Pre-ordered box lunches will be delivered to nearby Cloudland Vineyards. Tickets for box lunches must be purchased via this Eventbrite site by April 30. Select type of box lunch AFTER completing payment during checkout. See details below. *

2) Tour of Cloudland Vineyards and recently planted chestnuts. Overview of how to grow and maintain chestnuts.

3) GA-TACF board members will meet at the end of the day to hold a brief in-person meeting.

We hope to see you there! Please help spread the word.

Dr. Martin Cipollini

GA-TACF President

Bistro Box sandwiches, cold, come with chips and freshly baked cookie:

  1. Chicken salad croissant
  2. Turkey and Provolone Sandwich
  3. Chicken, Swiss, and Pesto Sandwich
  4. Pesto Caprese Sandwich

Salad box lunches, served with a mini sea salt baguette and freshly baked cookie

  1. Cranberry Pecan Salad with Balsamic dressing
  2. Spinach Salad with strawberries, feta, bacon, pecans and a French Vinaigrette dressing
  3. Classic CaesarSalad with croutons, Caesar dressing, and Parmesan

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GA-TACF friends, members, and supporters:

We are getting close to finishing up our chestnut harvest season! We have just two volunteer shifts left (see below). You may access opportunities via our VolunteerLocal volunteer registration system. Tasks include harvesting burs, shucking burs, and counting and processing nuts for storage -- both outdoor and indoor shifts will be available.

If you have not previously registered to volunteer with TACF, please do so via this link:

theamericanchestnutfoundation.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=99170&mc_cid=b5921f1d34&mc_eid=4ac...

After you have registered, you will be able to sign up for specific dates and shifts. Our last two harvest shifts will be this Monday, September 28 from 10 am - 3 pm and Wednesday September 30 from 2 - 6 pm at Berry College. Wednesday has been set up as a "shucking" day, but we may have one more tree to harvest as well. Registrants may select the upcoming shifts by clicking here:

theamericanchestnutfoundation.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=113887

As an all-volunteer organization in GA, our chapter cannot function without your help. Even if you won't be able to help during this harvest season, registering via VolunteerLocal now will enable you sign up for future volunteer opportunities.

Finally, please save the date for our Third Annual Chestnutoberfest at River Remedy Brewing in Rome on Oct 17 (1 - 7 pm) and a follow-up chestnut event there on November 21 (1 - 7 pm). These will be family-friendly events held to both thank volunteers and to educate the public about what we are doing. Our latest version of chestnut beer will be available along with cool chestnut merchandise, food including fire-roasted chestnuts, new GA-TACF merchandise, live music, etc. Come learn about what we do and have some fun!

Martin Cipollini, GA-TACF President

The American Chestnut Foundation River Remedy Brewing Co.
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GA-TACF friends, members, and supporters: We are getting close to finishing up our chestnut harvest season!  We have just two volunteer shifts left (see below).  You may access opportunities via our VolunteerLocal volunteer registration system. Tasks include harvesting burs, shucking burs, and counting and processing nuts for storage -- both outdoor and indoor shifts will be available.If you have not previously registered to volunteer with TACF, please do so via this link:https://theamericanchestnutfoundation.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=99170&mc_cid=b5921f1d34&mc_eid=4ac867ee34After you have registered, you will be able to sign up for specific dates and shifts.  Our last two harvest shifts will be this Monday, September 28 from 10 am - 3 pm and Wednesday September 30 from 2 - 6 pm at Berry College. Wednesday has been set up as a shucking day, but we may have one more tree to harvest as well.  Registrants may select the upcoming shifts by clicking here:https://theamericanchestnutfoundation.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=113887As an all-volunteer organization in GA, our chapter cannot function without your help.  Even if you wont be able to help during this harvest season, registering via VolunteerLocal now will enable you sign up for future volunteer opportunities.Finally, please save the date for our Third Annual Chestnutoberfest at River Remedy Brewing in Rome on Oct 17 (1 - 7 pm) and a follow-up chestnut event there on November 21 (1 - 7 pm).  These will be family-friendly events held to both thank volunteers and to educate the public about what we are doing. Our latest version of chestnut beer will be available along with cool chestnut merchandise, food including fire-roasted chestnuts, new GA-TACF merchandise, live music, etc. Come learn about what we do and have some fun!Martin Cipollini, GA-TACF PresidentThe American Chestnut Foundation River Remedy Brewing Co.

2 CommentsComment on Facebook

I loved eating chestnuts when I was a kid in the 50s. My grandmother’s side yard was solid chestnut trees. I wd go out there barefooted regardless of what she said and I wd always regret it.

Where can I sell my Chestnut’s off of my large mature tree?

This excellent article takes a deep dive into the history of the American chestnut, the science driving restoration efforts, and the communities helping make recovery possible. Be sure to read the perspectives shared by TACF Director of Science Jared Westbrook, Board Member Jim Searing, and PA/NJ Chapter member Mike Aucott. 🌳🌰

Read the article: rivertownsmagazine.com/stories/the-return-of-the-american-chestnut-tree,146154

#AmericanChestnut #Forestry #ForestRestoration #CitizenScience #Conservation
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