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Maine – About Us
The Maine chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) was established in 1999 to help restore the American chestnut tree to our corner of America here in Maine. We live at the northernmost end of its natural range where chestnuts, like Mainers, make due with less sunshine and more cold. These suboptimal conditions made for sparser populations of chestnuts (and people) than southern climes, even before the blight.
Maine is currently home to more mature, flowering wild American chestnuts than any other state. Their success is due primarily to Maine’s geographic isolation from the denser populations of chestnut trees south of us, where the fungus spreads more readily. We have the joyful job of finding Maine’s wild trees and harvesting their nuts!
By growing chestnuts from wild trees, the Maine Chapter is preserving genes that have helped the chestnut adapt to life at the cooler edge of its range. Ultimately our gene conservation and breeding efforts are intended to produce hearty, blight-resistant populations of American chestnuts that we can use for forest restoration.
The chapter’s goals are to: 1) Protect, conserve, preserve, and propagate trees from the remaining native American chestnut populations in Maine; 2) Restore the American chestnut to a place of ecological and economic importance and self-sustainability throughout their original range in Maine, and 3) Make blight-resistant American chestnuts available to the people of Maine as soon as possible.
With your help we intend to restore this iconic species to Maine’s landscape, its wildlife, and its people.
Chestnuts Across Maine
Chestnuts Across Maine (CAM) is an exciting, new initiative of the Maine chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (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. During our pilot year in 2024, ME-TACF coordinated plantings with 8 organizations! Learn more about Chestnuts Across Maine.
Board of Directors
Key Contacts
Mark McCollough, Chapter President
Eva Butler, Chapter Vice President, Volunteer Coordinator (Email)
Al Faust, Treasurer
James Day, Secretary
Thomas Klak, Chair of Gene Conservation
Eric Evans, Breeding Coordinator
Ann Rea, Seed Sales
Board Members
David Allen, Portland
Peter Bohman, Monmouth
Eva Butler, St George
James Day, Portland
Eric Evans, Camden
Albert C. Faust, Winterport
Dr. Tom Klak, Saco
Mark McCollough, Hampden
Dr. Nina Pearlmutter, Kennebunkport
Andy Reed, Unity
Dr. Brian Roth, Orono
Larry Totten, West Bath
Roger Willby, Bridgeton
Maine Chapter Menu
National Facebook
🎃 From all of us at Meadowview Research Farms, have a spook-tacular Halloween! May your night be free of blight and all things weevil (not evil!)—and full of chestnut cheer. 🌰👻 We’re brewing up serious science in our cauldrons to bring the American chestnut back from the dead—no tricks, just treats for the next forest! 🌳🧪 #HappyHalloween #ChestnutRestoration
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Alabama friends! 🌰 The Alabama Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation is officially resprouting! Join us for our Annual Meeting to reconnect, elect new officers, and plan the future of chestnut restoration in Alabama.
📅 Tuesday, Nov 4 | 🕕 6:00 PM
📍 South Huntsville Public Library (or join via Zoom!)
👉 RSVP by Nov 2: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-al-chapter-of-the-american-chestnut-foundation-2025-annual-meeting-ticke....
Let’s bring the American chestnut back to Alabama’s forests — together.
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I can't make that meeting, but I've been a TACF member in AL for many years.
Just a question regarding planting chestnuts in Iowa. I understand that not all states allow them. Perhaps I am wrong ? I think California prohibits them ? Does anyone know, are chestnut trees planted on private property allowed in Iowa ?
Chestnut blight changed everything. Watch how this deadly fungus transformed a once-mighty tree.
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The last time I saw a chestnut tree was 50 years ago in Detroit. I was a kid and saw the trees lined up and down our street die one by one.
Has anyone ever tried spraying copper sulfate & lime mixture on a tree to kill the fungus
Wonder if the genes can be changed on the blight fungus so it will die off.
We’re thrilled to see Backpacker shining a light on the American chestnut and TACF’s work to restore this mighty tree. 🌰 Read the article here: www.backpacker.com/stories/american-chestnut-trees-comeback/
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We have one across the street from our new home in Leicester NC. We have been collecting!
What's the difference between the American Chestnut and the Chinese chestnut tree? I recently planted 7 of the Chinese variety.
Not barefoot though!!! 😆
It can be tricky to tell the difference between various chestnut varieties. In this video, TACF staff membe Angus shows the differences between Chinese chestnut leaves and stems and American chestnut leaves and stems.
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Nice details. I can easily confirm exactly what you’re sharing. We have both on our property. TY
In momma’s yard, 2 chestnut trees plant 50 years ago.
Thank you! Can you do a breakdown of the chestnuts themselves too??
Latest News
Calling Volunteers to Chestnuts Across Maine
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...
Chestnut Science Update
A Year of Change By Mark McCollough, Maine Chapter President “Learn to expect the unexpected.” As a wildlife biologist, I learned this tenet of ecology early in my career. Nature is full of surprises from the elegant workings of the DNA molecule to the intricate cogs...