Contact us at gro.fcat@retpahCYN
About Us
Welcome to the New York Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation! We are dedicated to restoring the American chestnut in New York State.
Hudson Valley Nut Fest, 2025
Come meet the leadership of the New York Chapter at the Hudson Valley Nut Fest on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook, New York. We’re delighted that TACF science coordinators Lake and Deni will also be there with chestnuts and swag and smiles! Please join us for a nutty day. Learn more here.
How is TACF Restoring the American Chestnut?
TACF engages in a multi-pronged effort to create a disease-resistant American chestnut, including traditional breeding techniques and genetic modification.
The majority of TACF staff and volunteers are involved in an advanced breeding approach called Recurrent Genomic Selection (RGS) that uses genetic testing to maximize breeding selections. Sometimes referred to as “Best by Best”, this approach is expected to significantly increase resistance to Phytophthora root rot and chestnut blight within two breeding generations, while maintaining American chestnut form and function. In addition, efforts are made to conserve the range-wide genetic diversity of this growing population of trees for use in future breeding.
TACF is also working with a variety of scientific partners to develop transgenic (introducing genes from other plant species) and cisgenic (introducing genes from other chestnut species of the same genus) methods to increase blight resisitance, as well as other biotech methods such as RNAi (RNA interference) to impede growth of the blight fungus.
Fresh Leadership for the New York Chapter
The Executive Committee of The American Chestnut Foundation’s (TACF) Board of Directors voted in May 2025 to establish a newly restructured, unincorporated New York (NY) Chapter. We warmly welcome a dynamic new leadership team: President Dazzle Ekblad, Treasurer Kurt Dirr, and Outreach Coordinator Lia Heintjes (bios below). “It’s exciting to think about the future of the American chestnut,” said Ekblad. “My first steps as Chapter president are to listen and learn. I look forward to connecting with our New York members and hearing what drives their passion for this extraordinary tree.” Read more…
NY Chapter Board
Dazzle Ekblad, President
Dazzle Ekblad has always loved the company of trees. As you might guess from her name, Dazzle was raised on a hippie commune in northern Minnesota with towering white pines and graceful birch trees. Her awareness of the potential and power of American chestnut trees began when she was studying agroecology at Prescott College and read Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture by J. Russell Smith. Dazzle went on to earn her master’s in natural resources policy from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, as well as a master’s in public administration from Syracuse University. Since 2014, her focus has been on supporting and expanding the New York State Climate Smart Communities Program. In 2022, Dazzle received a Climate Champion Award from the New York Upstate Board of the US Green Building Council.
Kurt Dirr, Treasurer
Kurt Dirr graduated from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a bachelor’s degree in environmental resources engineering and a minor in water resources. From there Kurt worked as a design consultant for civil, drinking water, and wastewater design and construction projects throughout the northeast United States addressing treatment, storage, and conveyance issues. Currently, Kurt is working in a role which blends his interest in protecting the environment and improving public infrastructure through civil engineering improvement projects for public boat launches throughout New York State.
Lia Heintjes, Vice President & Outreach Coordinator
Lia Heintjes first became curious about the American chestnut as an undergraduate student while completing her bachelor’s in biotechnology at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The multi-faceted approach to its restoration sparked her interest; what other tree species is so beloved as to mobilize numerous communities to action? After graduating, Lia pivoted from lab work towards the outdoors, working as a green roofer building rooftop gardens, and then as an urban forester with New York City Parks. She cares deeply about the fate of the planet and would someday love to witness native wildlife reconnecting with an American chestnut she helped restore.
Contact
TACF NY Chapter
Contact us at gro.fcat@retpahCYN
Science
For information about growing American chestnuts or American chestnut research in NY, please contact TACF’s North Central Regional Science Coordinator, Lake Graboski, at gro.fcat@iksobarG.ekaL.
Former NY Chapter
The former NY Chapter is now named American Chestnut Restoration, Inc. For information about this organization, please contact Allen Nichols at moc.liamg@57.slohcinkjaf.
To learn more about this transition, read the recent news post Changes to TACF’s NY Chapter.
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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/
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
We could do with these being used in England for future forestry projects. The Pennines would make good habitat for them after the peat moorlands burn out. This is now inevitable thanks to the Labour government banning controlled winter burning with the intent of banning grouse shooting. Also Labour and Conservative governments alike failed to seal our borders against chestnut blight despite it being rife in France. Good old EU deflections of responsibility.
What's the difference between the American Chestnut and the Chinese chestnut tree? I recently planted 7 of the Chinese variety.
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.
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Nice details. I can easily confirm exactly what you’re sharing. We have both on our property. TY
I'd love to see one of European or dunstan VS American
Thank you! Can you do a breakdown of the chestnuts themselves too??
Getting involved in your local state chapter is one of the best ways to support the American chestnut, and a great way to get access to seeds and seedlings! Visit tacf.org and select "Chapters" to learn more.
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
Are we able to genetically recreate the original?
Are these edible by humans?
So your having a professor from the UofI Urbana/Champaign give a talk chestnut genetics but you don't have chapter in Illinois🤷♀️?
🌰 Over the course of this year’s harvest season, more than 20 volunteers from Emory & Henry University, King University, Master Gardeners, and Master Naturalists joined us at TACF’s Meadowview Research Farms to help process burs and collect seeds for the next generation of American chestnuts. Together, they shucked over 17,000 burs, yielding over 30,000 seeds that will support research, our partners, outreach events, as well as our RGS program. 🌳
Their time, energy, and commitment make an incredible difference in the success of our restoration work. As the 2025 harvest season officially comes to a close, we’re deeply thankful for our volunteers and partners — this effort wouldn’t be possible without you! 🍂
#AmericanChestnut #MeadowviewResearchFarms #AmericanChestnutFoundation #ChestnutRestoration #ConservationScience #Harvest #VolunteerAppreciation
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
What about the Beetles? The ones I picked here ended up being full of them.
Thank you!
I want plant some on my farm were should i get them?
🌰 It’s National Nut Day! 🌰
What better way to celebrate than by helping restore the most iconic nut tree of them all: the American chestnut.
When you donate $25 or more to our End of Year Campaign: One Tree, Many Hands between Oct 22–31, you’ll be entered for one of three chances to win a Seed Level membership with The American Chestnut Foundation! 🌱
Seed Level members receive a subscription to Chestnut magazine, early access to wild-type seedling sales, and four chestnut seeds with intermediate blight resistance, a gift that helps grow the future of this iconic tree.
Visit support.tacf.org/2025-end-of-year for your chance!
3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Can anyone tell me which species of Chestnut this is? It is growing at the edge of the Heard Farm meadow in Wayland, MA. The tree is maybe 40 feet tall.
Looking for chinquipan trees or seed. Anyone help me?
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