Chestnuts Across Maine (CAM) is an exciting, new initiative of the Maine chapter of TACF. Our chapter is partnering with land trusts, state parks, schools, and town squares in Maine to establish small plantings of American chestnuts on lands open to the public. This is a long-term, multi-generational commitment that achieves many of the goals of TACF. Moreover, CAM gives you a way to activate and to engage others in your community to return the American chestnut to a field or forest near you.
Maine has more wild living chestnuts than any other state, making it our chapter’s duty to conserve their genes for future breeding. As you probably know, the only way to keep Maine’s wild chestnut genetics alive is to grow them. While our large Gene Conservation Orchards are useful, blight can establish and rip through one in a few years. CAM aims to disperse Maine genetics across the state in small groupings as a form of insurance. Not only will the miles between them serve as a layer of protection but this initiative brings chestnuts closer to our members and their communities.
We are starting small but thinking big! In 2024 we launched CAM and planted 9 groves of trees with help from 9 partner organizations and land trusts. Their enthusiastic embrace of this vision and commitment of time and resources reassures us that we are on the right path. Within 5 years we’d like to have chestnuts growing within a one-hour drive of all of our members. Within 10 years we plan to reduce that to one half hour.
Think of each grove as a nearby spot where you can help grow chestnuts and engage others in the restoration of the American chestnut to Maine. If you’re game to get involved in a small but valuable role, you might just be a candidate to lead or join a local Chestnut Restoration Team. Explore the Chestnuts Across Maine webpages for more details and contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Eva Butler at moc.liamg@fcaeniam.reetnulov to figure out the best fit for your time and talents.
