Maryland Chapter

Chestnut Background

Tree Identification

Is this an American chestnut tree?

TACF chestnut identification resources

Appalachian Trail MEGA-Transect American Chestnut Project Resources:

The above pdf files are based on materials from TACF Southern Appalachian Regional Science Coordinator Paul Sisco’s web site and the TACF Field Guide.

Hypovirulence

Hypovirulence Treatment of Blight Cankers

Hypovirulence treatment outline prepared by Dr. Donald L. Nuss. (C. parasitica strains for tailored biocontrol of chestnut blight on individual trees)
Protocol for treatment of Sugarloaf East Field Trees August 4, 2007
Map of Sugarloaf East Field Trees treated August 4, 2007
TACF Biocontrol information

Grafting

Grafting Resources

Nut-grafting!

January and February are the best times to cut scions from American chestnut trees and graft them onto American chestnut nuts. If they grow, you will have a clone of your scion wood tree that can be planted in a new location. Carl Mayfield, shown above, is an expert on this method of propagation. He graciously allowed us to take video at his nut-grafting clinic last winter, and he wrote out detailed instructions for every step of preparation and nurture, which can be found here:

Instructions for nut grafting from Carl Mayfield

Student Program

American Chestnut Learning Materials

Links to materials available for download at no charge.

American Chestnut Educational Resources
A list of information provided by The American Chestnut Foundation.

The Legend of the American Chestnut Tree
A book written by students of the Poolesville High School, Kirby Carmack & Nicole Rodriguez, with Illustrations by Michael Torres.

The American Chestnut video by Thomas Nassif
An 18 minute video that tell the story of the chestnut and TACF, documents controlled pollination and shows the basics of hypo virulence.

American Chestnut Loaner Lab (University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and Towson University)
Download the teacher’s manual for the Chestnut Tree Lab. Loaner Lab kits made available to MD schools at no cost. A model for a national package to meet technology SOLs along with teaching chestnut science

Penn State Chestnut Growers Website
Everything a chestnut grower needs to know and much more, including back issues of the TACF Journal and other publications in pdf format.

Hypovirulence information (MDTACF)
This information covers the procedures volunteers can use to treat blight on surviving American chestnut trees.

American Chestnut Foundation – links to media resources

Maryland Chapter Menu

National Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

With your support, this year’s raffle of two handcrafted Kasumi® Damascus chef knives with American chestnut handles raffle raised more than $27,000!

Congratulations to the winners Jeffrey Monaco and Natalie Harper, and thanks to everyone who participated.

Many thanks also to Antique River Logs for generously supplying these unique and extremely rare raffle items.
... See MoreSee Less

With your support, this year’s raffle of two handcrafted Kasumi® Damascus chef knives with American chestnut handles raffle raised more than $27,000! 

Congratulations to the winners Jeffrey Monaco and Natalie Harper, and thanks to everyone who participated.

Many thanks also to Antique River Logs for generously supplying these unique and extremely rare raffle items.

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Many thanks to William Joiner at Antique River Logs for donating these beautiful knives. www.antiqueriverlogs.com

Meet Taz! Taz is a 3.5-year-old Blue Heeler who wreaks havoc every day. She belongs to TACF's Director of Business Operations, Mark. Mark retired from the U.S. Army after 21 years in 2014. After retiring, he followed his wife and children to Asheville, NC. ... See MoreSee Less

The article covers the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and The American Chestnut Foundation’s (TACF) efforts to restore the American chestnut at Lesesne State Forest. It describes three chestnut orchards: the Connecticut Hybrid Seed Orchard, American Orchard, and Backcross Hybrid Orchard. Each orchard holds genetically distinct trees, contributing to blight resistance research and breeding. Future projects aim to preserve chestnut genetic diversity through further cross-breeding and conservation. For further details, see the original article here: www.associationpublications.com/flipbook/vfa/2024/Summer/8/#zoom=true ... See MoreSee Less

The article covers the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and The American Chestnut Foundation’s (TACF) efforts to restore the American chestnut at Lesesne State Forest. It describes three chestnut orchards: the Connecticut Hybrid Seed Orchard, American Orchard, and Backcross Hybrid Orchard. Each orchard holds genetically distinct trees, contributing to blight resistance research and breeding. Future projects aim to preserve chestnut genetic diversity through further cross-breeding and conservation. For further details, see the original article here: https://www.associationpublications.com/flipbook/vfa/2024/Summer/8/#zoom=true

1 CommentComment on Facebook

The American Chestnut Foundation I’m looking at planting a few American chestnuts- resistant. Who has them for sale?

In this article, TACF’s Director of Research, Vasiliy Lakoba, and Laboratory Scientist, Lauren Kerwien, explain how citizen scientists are the driving force behind TACF’s mission to restore the American chestnut tree to the eastern US. You'll also learn how you can become a part of the new Recurrent Genomic Selection breeding program, and if those words sound like nonsense to you, don’t fret: There is an explanation of how this complex model is used to predict the best crosses of parent trees that will produce offspring with improved blight and phytophthora disease resistance while maximizing American chestnut ancestry! Become part of the solution!

The full article can be found here: www.associationpublications.com/flipbook/vfa/2024/Summer/10/#zoom=true
... See MoreSee Less

In this article, TACF’s Director of Research, Vasiliy Lakoba, and Laboratory Scientist, Lauren Kerwien, explain how citizen scientists are the driving force behind TACF’s mission to restore the American chestnut tree to the eastern US. Youll also learn how you can become a part of the new Recurrent Genomic Selection breeding program, and if those words sound like nonsense to you, don’t fret: There is an explanation of how this complex model is used to predict the best crosses of parent trees that will produce offspring with improved blight and phytophthora disease resistance while maximizing American chestnut ancestry! Become part of the solution!

The full article can be found here: https://www.associationpublications.com/flipbook/vfa/2024/Summer/10/#zoom=true

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Do american chestnut trees self-pollinate?

Listen as TACF's northern regional outreach coordinator Catherine Martini is interviewed about the story of the American chestnut on Nature Nuggets. This engaging and educational episode can be listened to here, radiokingston.org/en/broadcast/nature-nuggets/episodes/nature-nuggets-episode-23-american-chestnu..., or follow the show on @hvnaturenuggets ... See MoreSee Less

Listen as TACFs northern regional outreach coordinator Catherine Martini is interviewed about the story of the American chestnut on Nature Nuggets. This engaging and educational episode can be listened to here, https://radiokingston.org/en/broadcast/nature-nuggets/episodes/nature-nuggets-episode-23-american-chestnut-tragedy-and-inspiration, or follow the show on @hvnaturenuggets
Load more