Kentucky News

Many Miles Completed in Search for wild, full American Chestnuts Across Kentucky

Our Kentucky Volunteers have driven and hiked many miles across the state searching wild full American Chestnuts and “Snapped” them into our data base using the free TreeSnap app. We estimate that we have observed close to 4,000 wild Americans, “Snapping” 1,543 “Observations” to date. When several small Americans are found in an area, we usually will “Snap” the largest two or three trees and enter into the comments section: “Can see X number more trees in a 30 yard radius”, or something similar.

This data helps to tell us where wild trees are growing, and the type of habitat, and also tells us size of trees being found. By far, most wild Americans observed are under 1.5” dbh (“diameter breast height, which is 4.5 feet above the soil”) which is the standard measuring point. Please DO NOT measure the tree near the base swell, which distorts the tree size for our scientists.

We are especially searching for larger wild Americans (“Large” in this case means 3” or wider diameter at breast height) … and even more importantly, we are searching for wild type Americans that are flowering, which occurs in mid to late June in Kentucky.

If you find such trees, we encourage you to utilize the TreeSnap App to enter the menu listed data, including crisp photos of top and bottom of leaves that will allow us to confirm American versus Chinese. If you find such trees or if you need assistance, please email to Ken Darnell, KY Chapter enthusiast in TreeSnap: moc.rennurdaor@llenradkd and moc.liamg@45llenradnek

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"America's Great Lost Tree Is Finally Returning" YouTube PBS Terra 739,332 views Sep 23, 2025

In the forests of Pennsylvania, Shane Campbell-Staton joins Sara Fern Fitzsimmons from The American Chestnut Foundation to track this tree’s strange afterlife and learn the science behind its potential revival. With the help of rare surviving trees, selective breeding, and even gene editing, scientists and volunteers are working to breed blight-resistant trees.

The chestnut’s comeback will take time. But researchers are making steady progress towards developing American chestnut trees that survive and thrive in the native range they formerly dominated.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADA6cuWy8Xg&t=3s 8 min 32 second video

The Kentucky Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation is doing its part to help the National Efforts to develop blight resistant hybrid American Chestnuts that can be replanted, and compete, in their original forests. JOIN US: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌞 support.tacf.org/membership Choose the Kentucky Chapter
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Americas Great Lost Tree Is Finally Returning        YouTube   PBS Terra       739,332 views  Sep 23, 2025In the forests of Pennsylvania, Shane Campbell-Staton joins Sara Fern Fitzsimmons from The American Chestnut Foundation to track this tree’s strange afterlife and learn the science behind its potential revival. With the help of rare surviving trees, selective breeding, and even gene editing, scientists and volunteers are working to breed blight-resistant trees.The chestnut’s comeback will take time. But researchers are making steady progress towards developing American chestnut trees that survive and thrive in the native range they formerly dominated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADA6cuWy8Xg&t=3s        8 min 32 second videoThe Kentucky Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation is doing its part to help the National Efforts to develop blight resistant hybrid American Chestnuts that can be replanted, and compete, in their original forests.           JOIN US:      🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌞      https://support.tacf.org/membership       Choose the Kentucky ChapterImage attachmentImage attachment

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We've got a few in Kentucky as well.

Keep it up!

Rick Butler

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Successful Work Day at Kentucky Division of Forestry's Morgan County Tree Nursery October 23, 2025

Full American Chestnut Orchard, from various Kentucky sources for diversity of Kentucky DNA

Awesome Team today, thanks to the strong Partnership with Kentucky Division of Forestry with the Kentucky Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation. * * * * *

We 100% completed the trimming of briars and unwanted other species of saplings that birds and squirrels had seeded in amongst our American Chestnut sprouts/trees.

This is a very important orchard for The American Chestnut Foundation's germplasm conservation program with 39 "large" trees with 59 "seedlings" planted over the last two years. All full Americans; no hybrids in this orchard.

Thank You KY Division of Forestry. Thank you today for Charlie Saunders, Wes Brown, Allen Stewart of KDF, and Ken Darnell of KY Chapter TACF ***
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Successful Work Day at Kentucky Division of Forestrys Morgan County Tree Nursery     October 23, 2025Full American Chestnut Orchard, from various Kentucky sources for diversity of Kentucky DNAAwesome Team today, thanks to the strong Partnership with Kentucky Division of Forestry with the Kentucky Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation.    * * * * * We 100% completed the trimming of briars and unwanted other species of saplings that birds and squirrels had seeded in amongst our American Chestnut sprouts/trees.This is a very important orchard for The American Chestnut Foundations germplasm conservation program with 39 large trees  with  59 seedlings planted over the last two years.   All full Americans; no hybrids in this orchard.Thank You KY Division of Forestry.    Thank you today for Charlie Saunders, Wes Brown, Allen Stewart of KDF, and Ken Darnell of KY Chapter TACF       ***Image attachmentImage attachment+4Image attachment

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Kentucky Division of Forestry

Thanks for your hard work and dedication guys.

Do you sell seeds or saplings from there?

We are GO for Volunteer Work Day at KY Division of Forestry's Morgan County Tree Nursery

Thursday October 23rd Beginning around 9:00 am

Near West Liberty KY 326 Tree Nursery Rd West Liberty, KY 41472

We can use another couple of Volunteers to help with some light trimming around our full American Chestnut trees See details in POST BELOW

RSVP: moc.rennurdaor@llenradkd
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We are GO for Volunteer Work Day at KY Division of Forestrys Morgan County Tree NurseryThursday October 23rd      Beginning around 9:00 am      Near West Liberty KY          326 Tree Nursery Rd         West Liberty, KY       41472We can use another couple of Volunteers to help with some light trimming around our full American Chestnut trees               See details in POST BELOW      RSVP:           dkdarnell@roadrunner.com
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