Middle Mountain Workday

Middle Mountain Workday

On April 30, a large group of 22 volunteers, including 15 members of Boy Scout Troop 79, worked on the orchard at Middle Mountain Farm in Albemarle County. The orchard, which contains nearly 300 seedlings, was started from seeds planted earlier this year. The...
Mother Tree Orchard Readied for Winter

Mother Tree Orchard Readied for Winter

Several Virginia Chapter volunteers joined Smithsonian volunteers and staff of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) near Front Royal on November 5th to prepare the mother tree orchard hosted by SCBI for winter.  Thanks to the work of the orchard...
Mullins/McFall Chestnut Planting

Mullins/McFall Chestnut Planting

Forty volunteers and organizers braved snow, cold, and wind to plant a total of 625 chestnut seeds, including 525 Restoration Chestnut 1.0 seeds, on Saturday, March 2, 2013, on the Mullins/McFall reclaimed surface mine site in Dickenson County, near Clintwood,...
November 10 Roanoke Meeting Report

November 10 Roanoke Meeting Report

Roanoke Meeting Provides Views of Past and Future of American Chestnut in Virginia From mouse-eaten remains of trading records found at one of the few remaining mountain trading posts in southwest Virginia, Dr. Ralph L. Lutts provided attendees at the Virginia Chapter...
Orchard Maintenance at the Roland Orchard

Orchard Maintenance at the Roland Orchard

The Roland Orchard was initially planted in the spring of 2008.  Additional trees were planted in April 2009. There were originally 385 trees: 15 were pure American; 15 were pure Chinese, 15 were 50-50 crosses between American and Chinese, and the remaining 320 were...