How You Can Help
If you are looking to volunteer some of your time, talent or treasure to help in the restoration of the American chestnut, you’ve come to the right place! Please email TCAF Indiana President Glenn Kotnik at gro.fca@retpahcni to learn about some of the upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Activities
The chapter hosts occasional tree plantings and maintenance, and we would love to have you participate. We also are seeking volunteers to share our chapter activities and education opportunities through our blog.
Leadership Positions
The Indiana Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation has opportunities to serve in leadership roles on its board of directors as well as in officer positions in the chapter. For more information, please contact Glenn Kotnik.
Make a Donation
As a volunteer driven organization, we are extremely grateful to our many volunteers, sponsors and partners. The Indiana Chapter’s current wish list items are:
- Digital camera
- Mounted turkey or squirrel for displays
- Printer cartridges
- AA batteries
- Mailing Labels, Address Labels
- Binoculars
- Fiberglass, telescoping measuring pole
- Laptop for presentations
- Office Laminator
- A Chapter truck
- Towing supplies for the Chapter truck
- Food/Drink donations for volunteer events
To donate an individual item, contact Glenn Kotnik at gro.fca@retpahcni. To make a monetary donation to the Indiana chapter, click here.
Membership
Join the American Chestnut Foundation, and you can select to also automatically become a member of the Indiana chapter. Click here to become a member.
Indiana Chapter Menu
National Facebook
There’s nothing quite like the first signs of life in the nursery; our chestnut seedlings are officially emerging! After weeks of careful stratification, planting, and patience, we’re starting to see those first tender shoots break through the soil. Early seedling emergence is a critical stage, showing us that germination was successful and that strong root systems are beginning to establish beneath the surface. These seedlings will be used for our Recurrent Genomic Selection program, including future seed orchards, progeny tests, small stem assays, phytophthora root rot screening. Here’s to healthy growth, strong roots, and a thriving season ahead! #AmericanChestnut #RestorationInProgress #ChestnutResearch #ForestRestoration #MeadowviewResearchFarms #ConservationScience
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There’s nothing quite like the first signs of life in the nursery; our chestnut seedlings are officially emerging! After weeks of careful stratification, planting, and patience, we’re starting to see those first tender shoots break through the soil. Early seedling emergence is a critical stage, showing us that germination was successful and that strong root systems are beginning to establish beneath the surface. These seedlings will be used for our Recurrent Genomic Selection program, including future seed orchards, progeny tests, small stem assays, phytophthora root rot screening. Here’s to healthy growth, strong roots, and a thriving season ahead! #AmericanChestnut #RestorationInProgress #ChestnutResearch #ForestRestoration #MeadowviewResearchFarms #ConservationScience
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Meadowview for the Win!🏆
Grafting is one of the tools we use to conserve large, surviving American chestnut germplasm and ensure it isn’t lost. By grafting scion from important trees onto compatible rootstock, we can preserve valuable genetics and share this germplasm across regions. This work allows exceptional trees to live on in multiple locations, supporting research, restoration, and collaboration while safeguarding the diversity of the American chestnut for the future.
#AmericanChestnut #RestorationInProgress #ChestnutResearch #ForestRestoration #MeadowviewResearchFarms #ConservationScience
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Our Director of Science, Jared Westbrook, was interviewed by Ira Flatow, founder and host of Science Friday, for their podcast. The episode is now available: www.sciencefriday.com/segments/restoring-american-chestnut-tree/
On Science Friday, Jared discusses the multiple approaches taken to improve blight resistance in American chestnut trees, TACF’s recurrent genomic selection program as our main engine for restoration, and what successful restoration looks like.
#americanchestnut #sciencefriday #science #restoration #explorepage #conservation
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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.
Today we’re highlighting Hattie Carthan, who fought against the impacts of redlining and disinvestment by mobilizing her Bed‑Stuy community to restore its trees and protect a landmark magnolia. Her legacy shows that restoration starts with us, an idea at the heart of our work to revive the American chestnut.
Read more about Hattie Carthan: tacf.org/black-history-and-the-american-chestnut/
#blackhistorymonth #americanchestnut #treestagram #explorepage #nature
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So trees DO grow in Brooklyn again?!