Ohio Chapter

About Us

Our Mission

The Ohio Chapter was founded primarily to bring about the restoration of the American chestnut throughout the hardwood forests of Ohio, where it once flourished. We work with the National Foundation to advance research, education, and public awareness of this important tree species. The Ohio Chapter implements this mission by education and research. Education would include projects such as establish demonstration plantings to acquaint people with the American chestnut and the blight that has almost eliminated by the blight, providing material for education, provide grants to support demonstration plantings and presenting information at appropriate forums. Research would include mine restoration plantings with American chestnuts, reforestation projects including American chestnut, test plantings of hybrid American chestnuts, finding and document surviving American chestnuts in Ohio, and supporting chestnut research in Ohio with grants.

American Chestnut in Ohio

The range of the American Chestnut was mostly restricted to the glaciated and unglaciated Appalachian Plateau region In Ohio. This is roughly the eastern half of the state. The chestnut grew mostly as part of the oak hickory forests and constituted 10-20% of the forests in eastern Ohio. They reached3-4’ DBH. Since Ohio is in the western part of the range the of the tree the blight did not completely decimate the chestnut in Ohio until the early 1940’s. Some large snags persisted for awhile but now almost the only thing left are root sprouts in the understory of the forest and ODNR now lists the American Chestnut as extirpated in Ohio.

Ohio Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation

The Ohio Chapter of the American Chestnut foundation was established in 2005. The mission of the Ohio Chapter is to support the goals of the TACF through research and education to restore the American Chestnut to its former glory. Education includes demonstration projects to increase awareness, presentations, and publications on the American Chestnut. Research efforts include restoration projects, finding surviving trees in Ohio, and sponsoring research supporting the restoration of the American Chestnut in Ohio and throughout its range.

Board of Directors

PRESIDENT
Mr. Stephen Rist
Ohio DNR Division of Forestry

Email: ohchapter@acf.org

VICE-PRESIDENT
Mr. Bruce A. Willis

TREASURER
Mr. Ryan Homsher

SECRETARY
Greg Chopko

WEBMASTER
Frank Skalak

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dale Angerman
Dr. Bob Clark
Dr. Carolyn Howes Keiffer
Kristen Lehtoma
Dr. Greg Miller
Tom Mills

Documents

Annual Meeting Minutes

Ohio Board Mtg F-2016
Ohio Business Mtg F-2016

In The News

Restoring Giants (March 2017) Ohio Cooperative Living. Pages 32-33.

Membership

Membership Form (National and Ohio Chapter)

Ohio Chestnut Inventory

Inventory Form

Ohio Small Grant Application

Application Form

Ohio 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

The Georgia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation The American Chestnut Foundation - Kentucky Chapter Tennessee Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation West Virginia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation Ohio Chapter of The American Chestnut foundation The Indiana Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation PA/NJ Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation

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Latest News

Ohio Chapter Meeting September 11, 2021

Ohio Chapter Meeting September 11, 2021

September 11, 2021  Annual Meeting of the Ohio Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation The annual meeting was held virtually via ZOOM.  President Carolyn Keiffer told the membership she is retiring from Miami University at the end of the year and the presidency of...

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Ohio Chestnut Grant Applications

Ohio Chapter  Grant Applications due October 30, 2021!! Grants are available for up to $1000 for any project or plan furthering the American Chestnut by planting, education, or another manner.  These grants are available to any people or organizations who would be...

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OH Chapter Grants Applications

OH Chapter Grants Applications

Posted September 23, 2021 Ohio Chapter  Grant Applications due October 30, 2021 Grants are available for up to $1000 for any project or plan furthering the American Chestnut by planting, education, or another manner.  These grants are available to any people or...

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