Fortunes Cove Orchard
On July 1, volunteers completed inoculations of American chestnut trees at three Virginia breeding orchards: Blandy Farm in Clarke County, about 350 trees; Roland Farm in Fauquier County, about 250 trees; and Fortune’s Cove in Nelson County (about 350 trees). Inoculations are performed on backcrossed trees to determine whether they are hardy enough to survive the fungus responsible for killing millions of American chestnut trees during the 20th century. This very labor-intensive work was performed by a group of volunteers from throughout Virginia. They deserve our thanks for their dedication and hard work.
