Contact us at gro.fcat@retpahCYK
About Us
Hello from the Kentucky Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation!
We are an active group of Volunteers who work together to help the national effort to restore the American Chestnut back into its native forests. With our Partners, we manage several orchards of hybrid American Chestnuts and full American Chestnuts that facilitate breeding options.
Wild American Chestnuts are still found across Kentucky in their native range forests. While an extremely small number of wild American Chestnut trees survive the blight to grow large enough to produce flowers and burrs, there are many sprouts that grow from the roots of the original trees. Take a look at the original American Chestnut Range Map. American chestnuts like well-drained, acidic sandstone soils. They do not like low acidic clay soils or soils and low areas that hold water.
We invite you to help search for wild Americans and to record them on the free ‘TreeSnap’ app. Or you can contact us via our Kentucky Chapter Facebook Page to let us know their location and if you need help to ID that your trees are full American or a Chinese or Japanese Chestnut, or a hybrid with mixed parentage. You can see general locations of wild American Chestnuts found and mapped to date on the TreeSnap website: https://treesnap.org/ Choose “MAP” from the menu to see general tree locations, with the knowledge that the app moves the exact tree locations by about five miles each to protect the individual trees and the landowners. With the “OBSERVATION CATEGORY” filter box, select “American Chestnut” to remove the visual clutter of other species that are also entered into TreeSnap.
JOIN US. Become a Member. Become a Volunteer. Click on the BECOME A MEMBER button to the right to simultaneously join the national TACF organization, plus the Kentucky Chapter. You will enjoy working beside and developing friendships with many other conservation minded people who are taking a variety of actions to do our part, along with our sister Appalachian state chestnut chapters, to restore this iconic American tree.
Kentucky Chapter Menu
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KY Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation will be at Kentucky Wood Expo, September 19-20 Masterson Station Park, Lexington
Friday September 19 & Saturday September 20 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Kids $5 Adults $7
The Kentucky Wood Expo returns to Masterson Station Park on the north side of Lexington, KY, on September 19 and 20. The Expo draws up to 3,000 visitors from the region.
This family-friendly event is the premier gathering for the forest products and wood industries, with approximately 80 exhibits and demonstrations.
The Kentucky Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation will set up a two-booth display. Come see the events and come visit with us in our large indoor booth. See the KY Wood Expo website for their large variety of live events. www.kfia.org/Page/55/kentucky-wood-expo-kfia-wood-expo
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Hi John. Good question. That's a cousin of American Chestnut, Chinquapin Oak, Quercus muehlenbergii. Chestnuts and oaks are in the same family of Fagacae, but are two different species: Castanea for chestnut and Quercus for oaks. They do have very similar leaves, but all the other tree characteristics for your tree, are oak. Thank you for asking. Ken Darnell, KY Chapter President
i've sold chestnut lumber on feebay.
The American Chestnut Foundation - Kentucky Chapter any help with this tree? Trigg county Kentucky on property that has never been logged.
KY Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation's ANNUAL MEETING at Kentucky National Guard's Hybrid Orchard in South East Kentucky Saturday September 6, 2025
Presentations: Lt. Col. (retired) Dave Jackson: KY NG Supporting Chestnut Orchards. Cassie Stark, TACF Regional Science Coordinator: TACF Science Update. Lynn Garrison: Chestnuts on Pine Mountain. Ken Darnell: New KY TACF Board Members and Board Members Emeritus. Lunch by Patti Darnell and Julia Griffin with Social Time. Fun and Fund Raising via Silent Auction and 50/50 Cash Raffle. Followed by Orchard Tour led by Cassie Stark and Dave Jackson.
Thank you to everyone who attended and donated time and $$$. Thank you to our KY National Guard Partner * * * * * *
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Can someone tell me what type of acorn this is?
Join us for KY-TACF's 2025 Chapter Meeting in Artemus, KY (Outside of Barbourville, KY)
Date: Saturday September 6th 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST
Location: KY National Guard Training Room, 537 TVA Road, Artemus, KY 40903
(3rd building on the left, cream colored metal building)
Hotel "Quality Inn" available in nearby Barboursville, KY
The Kentucky Chapter is excited to host our annual meeting at the Kentucky National Guard Training Center! This meeting includes opportunities to hear from TACF staff, KY Board Members, and researchers about all things American Chestnut including the latest and greatest in Chestnut Science.
You can also explore nearby Pine Mountain State Resort Park.
Come see chestnut breeding in action in our KY National Guard Orchard! All are Welcome / KY Members and Non Members * * * * * *
We invite you to bring a "Plus One" ..... or even a "Plus Two" 🙂
TO RSVP: Email KY Chapter President Ken Darnell: moc.rennurdaor@llenradkd
No Entrance Fee **** Lunch provided by KY Chapter **** We will hold a silent auction of donated items and will host a Cash $$$$$ 50/50 Raffle to defer costs 🙂
Schedule of events:
8:00-8:30AM - Social time, snacks and coffee
8:30-8:45AM - KY President Ken Darnell introduces attendees + silent auction items
8:45-9:30AM - KY Board Member and Meeting Host, Lt. Col. Dave Jackson (ret.) provides an overview of the KY National Guard Harold Disney Base and his work as KY N.G. Environmental Coordinator (We will discuss details of the TACF / KY N.G. hybrid orchard during the tour)
9:30-9:50 - Break, social time
9:50-10:50 - TACF Regional Science Coordinator Cassie Stark presents science update + Q&A
10:50-11:30 - KY Board Member Lynn Garrison presents about American chestnuts on Pine Mountain
11:30-12:00 - Annual board/officer elections
12:00-12:45 - Lunch (provided by Patti Darnell) and social time
12:45-2:00 - Hybrid Chestnut Orchard Tour lead by Dave Jackson and Cassie Stark, including an overview of orchard history, recent actions by KY-TACF, and next steps (orchard is within sight of the meeting room)
Kentucky Division of Forestry Hannah Leeper
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