Research
Ohio Chapter TACF Small Grants Program
Grants are available to assist members with active restoration projects within, outreach activities, and scholarly research conducted within the State of Ohio. Click here for Rules, Responsibilities, and Proposal Guidelines.
The Ohio Chapter of American Chestnut Foundation (OH-TACF) was founded largely through the efforts of Ohio scientists and as such has a strong interest in breeding, restoration ecology, and reclamation biology.
Because of the large amount of the land-base disturbed through surface mining in unglaciated Ohio, the chapter has a special devotion towards combining mineland reclamation and chestnut restoration.
Through research funded by the USDI Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, we have explored various ways to regenerate chestnut on previously disturbed minelands. Many post SMCRA lands in Ohio exist has monocultures of non-native species (orchard grass, autumn olive, Lespedeza, etc.) on heavily compacted soils. Natural succession to a hardwood forest community type is virtually arrested and unlikely to occur in normal time frames.
Through much trial and error, we have developed a fairly successful method of planting that results in high survival of bare root seedling plantings. A 48-inch mesh cage protects from deer browsing, a weed mat reduces competition with herbs, gravel reduces mole and vole bark stripping, fertilizer and TerraSorb enhance establishment and promote survival. This method is moderately expensive ($10/seedling) and requires 20 minutes to establish; however, survival is usually greater than 90%. We advocate this method for high quality hybrid seedlings where high survival is desired.
We have successfully used heavy equipment to loosen compacted soils and increase aeration, infiltration, and permeability. We have used a 36-inch ripping bar on a D-6 sized dozer and followed this with a 16-inch surface plow and disk on a large tractor. The above planting method is used after this type of site prep yielding excellent results.
In addition to the studies described above, the Ohio Chapter is currently beginning a program to find surviving chestnuts in Ohio forests, establish demonstration plantings, creating breeding orchards, and advancing various forms of restoration efforts utilizing American chestnut. We welcome all interested parties! Our mission is to keep the American chestnut alive in Ohio for future generations.
If you have any questions regarding current or planned research on American chestnut in Ohio, please contact Brian C. McCarthy at Ohio University.
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National Facebook
May Events! Field season is starting, so get out and help plant some chestnuts!
Visit the following link to register for an event: tacf.org/events/category/tacf/
#americanchestnut #Events #VA #wv #conservation #restoration #explorepage
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The VA Chapter collaborated on an orchard culling project at Matthews State Forest with Grayson Land Care!
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Read this article in Preservation Magazine to learn how a historic shelter made of American chestnut logs was moved across state lines.
Article by Alison Van Houten and image by David Huff.
Click the following link to read the article: savingplaces.org/stories/appalachian-trail-shelter-is-saved
#news #americanchestnut #historic #explorepage #conservation
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That picture is at it's new location in Hot Springs, NC, it's on display there
Love seeing what the Chapters are up to!
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I have two massive chestnut trees in my backyard and I’ve tried to get someone to look at them to see what kind they are. Who can I contact?
Thank you to our long time Partner, Army Corps of Engineers, Green River Lake. * * * You all do much to educate and serve the thousands of Visitors who enjoy Green River Lake in Central Kentucky. Ken Darnell, KY TACF Chapter President
Last week, the Clemson Facilities Landscape team planted nine Allegheny chinkapin trees (Castanea pumila) at Clemson University in honor of National Arbor Day. These trees came from Chestnut Returns Farm, operated by Joe James in Seneca, South Carolina.
Joe is a longtime member of The Foundation who has worked tirelessly on Phytophthora resistance in American chestnuts and has been working with chinkapins for several years.
#chinkapin #americanchestnut #explorepage #ArborDay #conservation
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Question: How often would you expect to find surviving American Chestnut trees in the wild?
Are the Allegheny chinkapin trees (Castanea pumila) part of a group of Chestnut Trees developed to prevent the Phytophthora disease that decimated the American Chestnut trees in America?
Interesting. I live seasonally in Seneca (up north in Pennsylvania the rest of the year). My farm in Pennsylvania had a VERY large American chestnut on it that I had to harvest when it died from the blight a few years ago. I do have a house full of furniture that was made from the lumber, which I'm very thankful for, but I'd rather have the tree back. There are still a few other living American chestnuts on the property near/around my farm, but none are as big as mine was (at least not documented, I've been told about a big one that I haven't been able to see yet). I'd like to talk to Mr. James at some point and see his operation.