The North Carolina / South Carolina Chapter

The North Carolina / South Carolina Chapter

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Our Mission

The mission of the NC/SC Chapter is to assist in the work of The American Chestnut Foundation in bringing about a revival and a renewal of the American chestnut tree as a prominent part of the forests of the United States of America by strengthening the organization’s financial and membership base, education, public awareness, and research activities.

Once there were over four billion American chestnut trees in the United States. One out of every four trees in the Appalachian forests was a chestnut! From Maine to Mississippi, American chestnut trees thrived and matured as the dominant species, towering over their neighbors the oaks, hickories, and tulip poplars. And they were huge. One tree near Waynesville, NC, was over 17 feet in diameter — 53 feet in circumference!

Foresters called the American Chestnut “the most useful tree in the woods”, because it provided abundant food for wild animals and livestock, a cash crop for mountain farmers, a light, yellow-colored wood for furniture, and rot-resistant lumber for fences, utility poles, and siding.

In 1904 the chestnut blight disease, caused by an Asian fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, was discovered in the Bronx Zoo of New York City. The blight spread quickly by air and on the bodies of insects, birds, and animals.

By the 1930´s, almost all the mature chestnut trees in the Carolinas were dying back to their roots. Thanks to soil organisms, however, many of the roots remain alive, sending up small sprouts that constantly die back from the blight even today.

Now, with an approach called backcross breeding, the American Chestnut Foundation and its Carolinas Chapter are working to revive this great King of the Forest. Within a decade, we expect to have blight-resistant trees ready for testing in North and South Carolina. It is our hope and expectation that the American chestnut will resume its place as a significant species in our forests. The members of the Carolinas Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation are heavily involved in reaching this goal: finding surviving trees, pollinating them, harvesting seed, and planting orchards for eventual reforestation. We sincerely appreciate the dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm of our members and ask you to join us in our efforts to save this great tree.

NC/SC Chapter Board of Directors

Peggy MacDonald, Leicester, NC, President
Nate Osborne, Leicester, NC, Vice President
Open Position, Secretary-Treasurer
Haiying Liang, Clemson, SC, Membership and Outreach Officer
Jon Taylor, Asheville, NC

 

NC/SC Chapter Website Administrator
Kimberly Greenway, Asheville NC

 

The North Carolina / South Carolina Chapter Menu

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TACF is hiring!

The New England Regional Science Coordinator (NERSC) supports the science-related activities of TACF's volunteer-run chapters in Maine, Vermont/New Hampshire, Massachusetts/Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Interested candidates should apply via TACF’s employment page tacf.org/employment/. Application close date is 5:00PM EST on Friday, February 7, 2025.
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TACF is hiring!

The New England Regional Science Coordinator (NERSC) supports the science-related activities of TACFs volunteer-run chapters in Maine, Vermont/New Hampshire, Massachusetts/Rhode Island, and Connecticut. 

Interested candidates should apply via TACF’s employment page https://tacf.org/employment/. Application close date is 5:00PM EST on Friday, February 7, 2025.

Join us for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 11:30 AM (ET)! Participate in Q&A, breakout sessions, and help shape our restoration efforts.

Visit tacf.org/event/chestnut-chat-town-hall-peer-to-peer/ to learn more and pre-register.
... See MoreSee Less

Join us for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 11:30 AM (ET)! Participate in Q&A, breakout sessions, and help shape our restoration efforts. 

Visit https://tacf.org/event/chestnut-chat-town-hall-peer-to-peer/ to learn more and pre-register.

Happy New Year from the team at Meadowview Research Farms! Stay tuned for another year of projects and research, driven by a passion for the restoration of the American chestnut! We look forward to keeping you up to date on the new Meadowview greenhouse, Recurrent Genomic Selection project, Internship opportunities and more! Let's grow 2025!!!! ... See MoreSee Less

Happy New Year from the team at Meadowview Research Farms! Stay tuned for another year of projects and research, driven by a passion for the restoration of the American chestnut! We look forward to keeping you up to date on the new Meadowview greenhouse, Recurrent Genomic Selection project, Internship opportunities and more! Lets grow 2025!!!!

2 CommentsComment on Facebook

I live in saltville Va and I have a wild chestnut tree I was wondering how I could find out what gender it is so I can plant a couple more around it if as long as I just plant a couple around it that would work and it will change gender to what is needed I would love to plant all kids of trees here on the farm to help out. Could someone please help me by telling me what trees would best help the wild life and bees to prosper.

Happy New Year

We wish you all a healthy and happy 2025! ... See MoreSee Less

We wish you all a healthy and happy 2025!

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Happy 2025!

From the team at Meadowview Research Farms, we wish you a happy holidays! ... See MoreSee Less

From the team at Meadowview Research Farms, we wish you a happy holidays!
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