GA-TACF members, collaborators, and other “chestnut” people!
For many years, the Georgia chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation has relied on our general membership primarily for volunteer work in the field (pollinations, harvests, plantings, orchard care). But now our chapter has come to a point where assistance with other important tasks would be extremely helpful. We know there are talented folks in the Georgia chapter who are willing to take primary responsibility for other tasks, AND WE NEED YOU!!!! The areas where we need help are listed below; with short descriptions of the tasks and approximate frequency at the bottom of the page. These tasks may be done with one or more people, so if you prefer to work with another chapter member(s) or someone in your “pod” that can be arranged. In all tasks, your health and safety are of utmost concern, with proper health practices required for all GA-TACF work. Also indicated are resources to which our chapter has access that would facilitate your work.
Treasurer – currently filled
Wild tree cataloger/mapper – currently filled
Demo/Educational Orchard Manager – currently filled
MailChimp E-mail Manager – volunteer(s) needed!
Web Site and Facebook Page Manager – volunteer(s) needed!
Please, if you are at all interested to serve in one or more of these capacities, read more below and let us know by replying to gachapter@acf.org!
Treasurer (an elected board officer position; currently Vince Payne)
Note: this will be an interim position to complete the term of our current treasurer until May 2022. The treasurer term may be renewed, via board vote, for a subsequent 2-year term, at the 2022 meeting.
Tasks include filing annual IRS postcard and State of GA registrations online, updating our budget (Quicken file) as debits and credits are incurred (~ 6 transactions per month), making occasional credit card purchases, and arranging reimbursements. The treasurer reports to the board about twice per year, and helps the board develop and maintain its three-year budget. Resources available include free access to our Quicken account and help from the national TACF budget office. 2-year term, with possible continuance.
Wild tree cataloger/mapper (currently Ana Metaxas)
Tasks include learning to identify chestnut species and verifying the identity of trees either in wild locations, or from specimens or photos sent to the chapter via mail or email. Some data come in the form of TreeSnap reports and some via our Gmail account. This person replies to those seeking help with tree identification (using leaf samples or photos) on a timely basis. Occasional trips are taken to look for wild trees (focusing on under-represented areas of the state). Data on wild trees are provided to our data manager (or may be added directly to our database). About twice per year, data for all trees is downloaded and used to make and share an on-line Google Map. Resources include training in tree ID, training in mapping, TreeSnap, and database use, and access to a high-quality GPS unit. A reference plant specimen collection is available to assist with species identification.
Demo/Educational Orchard Manager (currently Dale Higdon)
The main task is to respond to inquiries from people wanting to plant trees (most come via Gmail). The manager catalogs and evaluates new orchard sites for potential uses, solicits and evaluates soil tests, and identifies sites with possible research potential (refers these to the GA-TACF science coordinator). For sites with value as demonstration or educational sites, the manager distributes seeds or seedlings and advises stewards on planting and early tree care. A main resource is our “Potential Orchard Steward Form” which is useful for gathering info and informing stewards about the kinds of projects we support. Resources for growing and managing orchards are available for sharing with stewards. He/she works with greenhouse/nursery managers or TACF staff to find good trees to plant. A small budget is available for planting materials and supplies. If educational signage is desired, TACF staff can assist with its development. Informs website and MailChimp managers of planting events.
MailChimp E-mail Manager – volunteer(s) needed!
You may receive emails from our MailChimp manager (if not, email us at gachapter@acf.org so we can put you on our list). The main work is to maintain our MailChimp e-mail contact list (about 800 contacts; updated monthly or as needed). Some contacts come from membership reports, others are added individually (usually via Gmail inquiries). The manager also drafts or receives draft emails from those who need to contact the general audience, and sends e-mails as needed (about 2 per month). Resources include information, reports, photos, event announcements, etc. solicited from the board and other members. The ideal person is a good writer who can take basic information and make succinct e-mails that are informative and lead to increased engagement from our audience. Resources available include monthly membership reports from the national office, and training in the use of MailChimp.
Web Site and Facebook Page Manager – volunteer(s) needed!
The main task is to create and post news and events to our GA-TACF website (www.tacf.org/ga). Basic web site information can be updated as needed, and the entire web site should be evaluated for possible updates once a year. Posts to the website should be replicated or linked to our chapter Facebook page, with a goal of updating or adding posts about once a week. Coordination may be needed for major news items and/or upcoming events with the MailChimp manager to allow broader coverage via email. Resources include training in the use of WordPress to update the GA-TACF website, assistance from the national TACF web site and social media manager, access to a large catalogue of imagery, and information, events, photos, videos, etc. solicited from the board and/or membership. Ideal person is a creative writer who is experienced in social media.
To clarify, GA-TACF is an all-volunteer organization, including its officers, board members, and scientific coordinators/advisors. The only exceptions are a few summer interns (students) who are funded through grants or internship programs for specific projects. Having folks like you from our general membership volunteer in the key roles listed above is critical to assure continued progress toward the shared goal of restoring the American chestnut to our forests. So if you are in support of our goals, please consider helping!
Best regards,
Kathy Patrick
GA-TACF Chapter President
