VA-Banshee Reeks Research Symposium
2025-01-18 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve – Education Complex, 21085 The Woods Rd, Leesburg, VA, United States
The Virginia Chapter will present a poster at the 2025 Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve Research Symposium. Chapter citizen scientists will be there to discuss our work and to give tours of the chestnut seed orchard located at the Preserve.

VA- Chestnut pollination demo & training
2024-06-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Lesesne State Forest, Lesesne State Forest Trailhead, State Rt 680, Roseland, VA, 22967, United States
Come to Lesesne State Forest for a demonstration of controlled pollination of American chestnuts as part of our breeding program. In the two hours, you will have the opportunity to see the process hands-on and also see the results of over 50 years of chestnut research. Come prepared for outdoor conditions and hazards. Bring water and sturdy shoes. Dependent on decent weather.
Please email John Scrivani at vachestnut@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

Virginia Bur Shucking Party
2023-10-11 09:00 - 16:00 | Virginia Department of Forestry, 900 Natural Resources Drive, Charlottesville, VA, United States
Come help the Virginia Chapter shuck chestnut burs. The chestnuts we collected will be used in breeding, research, and distribution for planting.

9 am – 4 pm, Virginia Department of Forestry, 908 Natural Resources Dr, Charlottesville VA 22903

VA- 40th Anniversary Celebration & Orchard Tour - Leesburg, VA
2023-11-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, 21085 The Woods Rd, Leesburg, VA, 20175, United States
Please join us for our annual general membership meeting and a special screening of the exciting new documentary Clear Day Thunder – Rescuing the American Chestnut. After the film we will have a Q&A session and a site visit to our chestnut seed orchard,

Help us celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The American Chestnut Foundation!

VATACF Annual Membership Meeting, Bedford, VA
2019-11-16 13:00 - 17:00 | Claytor Nature Center, 1844 Woods Road, Bedford, Virginia, 24523, United States
The Virginia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation will conduct its annual membership meeting on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at Claytor Nature Center in Bedford. The meeting is open to the public and members are especially invited to attend.
The meeting begins at 1:00. Our special guest is Dr. Jason Holliday, Associate Professor, Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech. Dr. Holiday’s topic is Genomic Tools to Accelerate Chestnut Restoration. Following his talk, we will tour the chestnut Germplasm Conservation orchard maintained by Claytor Nature Center.
The technological changes in environmental sciences are coming so fast, and are so dramatic, that the breeding program of The American Chestnut Foundation can hardly keep up. And yet, keep up we must.
In addition to Dr. Holliday’s presentation, chapter president John Scrivani will report on the status of the Virginia chestnut breeding program and related activities during the year.
A germplasm conservation orchard is an orchard containing only wild-type American chestnuts. While it is still possible to see wild American chestnut in our forests, the numbers continue to decline, so conserving the genetic material becomes increasingly important. With proper care, American chestnuts can live to sexual maturity and produce fertile nuts. The Virginia chapter has four of these orchards now: this is your chance to see one of them.
The Virginia Chapter Board of Directors will be conducting its fall board of directors meeting at Claytor Nature Center before the public program. This meeting is also open to all members.
The Claytor Nature Center is part of the University of Lynchburg. It serves as an education and research center for environmental study and to preserve the land for future generations. The 18th century farm and plantation house were given to the University by A. Boyd Claytor, III; an additional 21 acres were donated by alumnus Bob Kibler.
The GPS address of the Center is 1844 Woods Road, Bedford, VA 24523.

Virginia Chapter Board Meeting
2019-01-11 10:00 - 14:00 | Virginia Department of Forestry, 900 Natural Resources Drive, Charlottesville, VA, United States
The Virginia Chapter will hold a board meeting on Friday, January 11, 2019, from 10 am – 2 pm. The meeting will be held at the Virginia Department of Forestry, 900 Natural Resources Drive, Charlottesville, VA.
