New York Chapter

About Us

NY-TACF Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the New York Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation is September 15th and 16th in Syracuse, NY.

Please join us by registering here: https://cvent.me/XvMaAk

 

Meeting Schedule:

Friday, September 15
6:00 pm Dinner (On your own)
7:30 pm Chestnut Harvest Exchange

Saturday, September 16
8:00 am Registration/ Coffee, Tea, Donuts/ Silent Auction
Chestnut Harvest Exchange Continues
9:00 am Welcome & President’s Report by Allen Nichols
9:15 am District Director’s Reports
9:45 am Science Reports – ESF Staff & Students
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Business Meeting
Required for Board Members, Recommended for Attendees
1:45 pm Announce Winners to Silent Auction, 50:50, and American Chestnut Coffee Table Raffle
2:00 pm Field Tour
4:00 pm Afternoon session closes
6:00 pm Dinner Catered by Pastabilities
After Dinner Closing Remarks by Allen Nichols, President

 

Directions for booking online reservations at the ParkView Hotel:

  • Copy Link Below
    https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/details.aspx?propertyid=14918&nights=1&checkin=9/15/2023&group=2309AMERIC&lang=en-us
  • Edit Arrival/Departure dates (valid September 15-17, 2023) ~ Rate only valid until August 23, 2023
  • Click Update
  • The Group Rate of $101 will appear for reservations. Guests must reserve the room with a credit card. Cancellations (without penalty) must be made 24-hours in advance.
  • Guests can also call the hotel direct at (315) 701-2600 and give the agent the dates of arrival/departure and identify themselves as part of the “American Chestnut Foundation” block.
    Guest check-in is 3:00PM and guest check-out is 12:00PM.
    Guest rooms include a refrigerator and microwave. Parking is complimentary.

The Bur Newsletter

In the latest issue of  The Bur Fall 2023

•  Patience and Fortitude Needed (Again)
 District Director Reports: What’s happening in New York State
 Bill Powell’s Retirement
•  NY-TACF’s Annual Meeting
  ESF research updates

Darling 58 American Chestnut Public Comment Period has Ended

Thank you to everyone who showed their support for the Darling 58 blight-tolerant American chestnut tree by submitting a comment to the USDA!

More information can be found on SUNY ESF’s American Chestnut Project webpage or at The American Chestnut Foundation’s Resources page.

An image of three transgenic American chestnuts inside a bur that's opened up.

Erik Carlson’s Interview on the Talking Biotech Podcast

Erik Carlson, an ESF graduate student, discussed the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project on Talking Biotech Podcast. In November 2021, Erik published a paper in Molecular Plant Pathology on the new lines of transgenic American chestnuts developed with the win3.12 inducible promoter from poplar (Populus deltoides), which drives OxO expression. The oxalate oxidase gene from wheat confers elevated chestnut blight resistance in American chestnut. The podcast discusses the background of the project, where the project stands, and the regulatory environment of repatriating a forest with engineered trees.

Erik Carlson from New York plants a transgenic American chestnut seedling.
Doug McLane, Fran Nichols, Allen Nichols, Brian McClain, and Tom Klak

Pollination Workshop

ESF’s American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project discussed their outcrossing plan, as well as how to pre-bag American chestnut female flowers, how they collect transgenic Darling 58 pollen, what to do when pollen is received, how to perform controlled pollinations, and how to protect nuts from animals during a virtual pollination workshop.

The workshop, beginning with a 20 minute video, can be view through TACF’s Chestnut Chat Series event listing.

A NY-TACF member pollinates a female American chestnut flower with transgenic pollen.

The Village Chestnut Tree Podcast

All across North America and Europe, trees are under mortal threat. In The Village Chestnut Tree podcast, Emmett Hoops discusses American chestnuts and what’s being done to save them.

Latest Episode: Years End Ideas

The Chestnut Tree Video

Produced by the Templeton Foundation, one of our donors.

American Chestnut Seed Engraving

Sergey Jivetin creates elaborate engravings on the shells of seeds, including a series carved on American chestnut seeds depicting TACF’s American chestnut restoration efforts. On the first image below, the lower right-hand nut illustrates the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project’s insertion of the Oxalate Oxidase gene into the American chestnut genome. The second image is a larger representation of that nut. To see more of Sergey Jivetin’s work, check out his website, Furrow Seed Engraving Project.

A chestnut has been carved with a chestnut tree, wheat, and DNA to represent the transgenic American chestnut containing oxalate oxidase. Carving done by Sergey Jivetin.

New York Chapter Menu

National Facebook

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Volunteer opportunity In Pennsylvania for bur shucking! ... See MoreSee Less

Volunteer opportunity In Pennsylvania for bur shucking!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment

9 CommentsComment on Facebook

What wonderful work you are doing.

When you guys want volunteers to plant 🌱 baby chestnut 🌰 trees let me know. I will plant in my area and have friends that would love to volunteer

I pray they all will be successfully planted

Which campus?

What do you do with them after you harvest them? I love to eat them but the worms bear me to them most of the time

Wish I was closer I would love to help .

Where can I get established American chestnut seedlings 🌱 for my property?

We want some seedlings to plant in Bedford pa

Send me a few, I've got 5 Acers in Ga.

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2 days ago
The American Chestnut Foundation

Great news: a special Chestnut Chat featuring student flash talks and a virtual poster session is taking place on October 20, 2023. This Chat will provide opportunities for students and professionals alike to share cutting-edge research, explore partnerships, and discuss the many facets of American chestnut restoration through a series of flash talks and a poster presentation. All are welcome to participate – student and professional alike.
There will be special opportunities for students to give flash talks, as well as participate in a student poster competition. This year, students participating in the poster competition must also present a flash talk. We hope you will join us!

Submissions are due by Friday, September 29, 2023. Please visit the link in comments for detailed information.

We encourage you to share this post with any colleagues who may be interested.
... See MoreSee Less

Great news: a special Chestnut Chat featuring student flash talks and a virtual poster session is taking place on October 20, 2023. This Chat will provide opportunities for students and professionals alike to share cutting-edge research, explore partnerships, and discuss the many facets of American chestnut restoration through a series of flash talks and a poster presentation. All are welcome to participate – student and professional alike.
There will be special opportunities for students to give flash talks, as well as participate in a student poster competition. This year, students participating in the poster competition must also present a flash talk. We hope you will join us!

Submissions are due by Friday, September 29, 2023. Please visit the link in comments for detailed information.

We encourage you to share this post with any colleagues who may be interested.

Watch a recording of the live September 15,
2023 Chestnut Chat webinar about Darling
58 regulatory updates.
TACF's Chief Conservation Officer Sara Fitzsimmons and SUNY ESF’s American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project Director Andy Newhouse, along with others, shared the latest updates about the current status of the Darling 58 transgenic American chestnut.

... See MoreSee Less

Video image

2 CommentsComment on Facebook

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