Western Maryland 4-H Education and Research Center – University of Maryland
Founded: 2008
Address:
4H Camp Rd, Swanton, Garrett County, Maryland – Google map
Challenges: Poor soils and cool climate have slowed tree growth. Trees were further damaged by deer after failure of the fencing caused by heavy snow. As a result, the outer fence has been removed and a special effort is being made to save 17 of the best remaining trees by protecting them within individual fences. For the latest 2020 inventory click here.
Contacts:
Shelley Packard – Steward, Master Gardener
Linda Harris – Mountain Laurel Garden Club
Ann Sherrard – Extension educator, U of Md
Plantings: (Note: Source of resistance – pink=Clapper, blue=Musick)
Maryland Chapter Menu
National Facebook
The American Chestnut Foundation is seeking scion wood from wild American chestnut trees from the southern population. Scion wood MUST come from previously verified American chestnuts. Population studies have determined that trees found in western TN and K1, GA, AL, and MS represent the southern population and are the most genetically diverse.
The objectives of this collection are to:
🌱Conserve genetic diversity of unique and underrepresented populations of American chestnut through grafting
🌱Grow these grafted plants in favorable conditions (including growth chambers) to promote flowering and ease of pollen collection
🌱Future utilization of pollen and flowers to outcross transgenic chestnut
Goals for 2024: Gather around 100 sources from the South
•Coordinate with Jamie Van Clief at jamie.vanclief@acf.org for the collection of this scion wood.
For more details- head to the link in the comments below.
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so from Michigan no good?
Check out the Maine Chapter of TACF's booth at the Fryeburg Fair
This eagerly anticipated annual event, held each fall in the picturesque town of Fryeburg, Maine, attracts a staggering 170,000 attendees. Each year the Maine Chapter has a booth set up for people to learn about American chestnut.
This year, each person who signed up to become a new TACF member received two chestnut seedlings as part of the "Fryeburg Fair Special," and because of this, they welcomed 90 new members. This brings the total number of Chapter members to over 300 for the for the first time!
In addition to cultivating new members, their team gathered valuable insights and recorded about a dozen solid leads on the location of surviving American chestnuts in Maine.
As always, this was a successful time at the fair!
📍Maine locals- make sure to mark your calendars to attend next year!
Curious about a TACF membership? Head to the link in bio to learn more.
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More about the ME Chapter- tacf.org/me/about-us/
RAFFLE NOW CLOSED
We want to thank YOU this Giving Tuesday! Your donation of $20 or more automatically enters you for a chance to win our gift box of the following items:
✨2 TACF beanie hats
✨2 TACF baseball hats
✨2 TACF notebooks
✨2 TACF orange bandanas
✨2 TACF patches
✨2 TACF canvas bags
✨2 TACF jar openers
(and yes, it’s enough for you and a friend to share)
To Enter:
Donate $20 or more towards our End of Year Appeal fundraiser to be entered in the drawing.
Giving Tuesday Donation Link: www.facebook.com/donate/25074377115495320/
QUALIFICATIONS:
Enter by NOON Friday December 1st.
The winner will be contacted by Saturday, 12/2 so make sure to check your inbox! If we don't receive a response back by the end of the day, we'll sadly have to move on to the next winner. Items will be shipped to US addresses only.
Let's make Giving Tuesday a day to remember! Share this post on your stories or with friends, so we can inspire even more acts of kindness. Together, we can make a positive impact and create a ripple effect of generosity.
STAY TUNED:
December will be full of more chances like this to win!
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Congratulations Randa Hopper Szymanski!!! Please send us a message.
Thank you so much to The Green Tunnel Podcast for releasing this engaging episode about the American chestnut tree! TACF’s Ciera Wilbur, Lab Manager at The American Chestnut Foundation's Meadowview Research Farms, is interviewed extensively, along with author Susan Freinkel.
From The Green Tunnel:
“The American Chestnut was one of the most magnificent trees in North America. On today’s episode of The Green Tunnel, we’re going to explore how it lived, how it died, and how – with the help of scientists, non-profit organizations, and passionate volunteers – it just might repopulate the Appalachian Mountains once again.”
Visit the link in the comments below to listen to this great podcast episode!
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Thank your for your wonderful contributions to this episode and the important work you do!
This is wonderful. Go Ciera Wilbur!!
start selling young trees
November is Native American Heritage Month, and the day after Thanksgiving is Native American Heritage Day. TACF recognizes this important opportunity to listen to the voices of this community, so we’re sharing the article, “The History of Thanksgiving from the Native American Perspective.
From the article:
“Steven Peters, a Wampanoag Tribe spokesman, was asked about his views on Thanksgiving and the fact that most people still gather to eat turkey and give thanks. Here's what he had to say:
"I think it's great. My ancestors had four harvest festivals throughout the year. Gathering with family, enjoying our company, sharing our blessings, and giving thanks for all that we have is a good thing. I say have more thanksgiving events throughout the year. I also ask that you take a moment in that day to remember what happened to my people and the history as it was recorded and not the narrative that we had been given in the history books."
Visit the link in comments to read the entire article.