Virginia News

Successful Day Inoculating at New Kent

We had a great day on July 20th at the New Kent Forestry Center!  It was a gorgeous day and we stayed cool enough in the shade of the ops building. With 24 folks working, we were able to inoculate about 1400 chestnut seedlings in under 5 hours.  That’s pretty impressive and it shows how much progress we can make when you are willing to volunteer to help out!

Volunteers inoculating chestnut seedlings at New Kent Forestry Center

Many hands make quick work!

Having a great team of volunteers made it a very successful day!

The volunteers stand behind their handiwork.

The best part is how much fun it was working with great folks.  So with total sincerity, I thank you all.  I feel really great about our day and I’m really excited for this research.  Fingers crossed, we will learn important and exciting things about the ability of these chestnut trees to survive when replanted.

Another notice will be posted in a couple weeks as we start rating cankers.  Any volunteers interested in helping with that will be welcome.  Stay tuned.

Thanks again and I hope to see you all again soon.

Kindest regards,

Tom

Thomas McNeill Saielli

Mid-Atlantic Regional Science Coordinator

The American Chestnut Foundation

900 Natural Resources Dr

Charlottesville, VA 22903

Virginia News Chapter Menu

National Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

This is part two so if you didn't see our last post, go check it out! When blight reached the remaining American chestnuts in Wisconsin's historic stand, the Helming family faced a difficult decision.

Today, those trees live on as part of a display at the National Museum of Forest Service History, where their story will inspire future generations.

Read an exclusive excerpt from an upcoming Chestnut magazine article about the process, and become a member to read the complete story in the next issue.

Click the following link to read: tacf.org/tacf-at-national-museum-forest-history/

#americanchestnut #member #restoration #news #explore
... See MoreSee Less

This is part two so if you didnt see our last post, go check it out! When blight reached the remaining American chestnuts in Wisconsins historic stand, the Helming family faced a difficult decision. Today, those trees live on as part of a display at the National Museum of Forest Service History, where their story will inspire future generations.Read an exclusive excerpt from an upcoming Chestnut magazine article about the process, and become a member to read the complete story in the next issue.Click the following link to read: https://tacf.org/tacf-at-national-museum-forest-history/ #americanchestnut #member #restoration #news #exploreImage attachment

Thank you for doing this! We love opportunities to inspire the next generation 🌰 ... See MoreSee Less

Thank you for doing this! We love opportunities to inspire the next generation 🌰Image attachmentImage attachment

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Way to go Lake!

In 2020, signs of chestnut blight appeared on one of the largest known American chestnut stands in the country, leading to the difficult decision about how to preserve its legacy.

Read the story of this remarkable stand: ivtlogs.com/american-chestnut/

Then follow us for our next post, where we'll share how the remaining trees from this historic stand were harvested to become part of a display at the National Museum of Forest Service History. You'll also get a preview of an upcoming article from our award-winning Chestnut magazine that tells the rest of this bittersweet story.

#explore #news #americanchestnut #hope #newlife
... See MoreSee Less

In 2020, signs of chestnut blight appeared on one of the largest known American chestnut stands in the country, leading to the difficult decision about how to preserve its legacy.Read the story of this remarkable stand: https://ivtlogs.com/american-chestnut/ Then follow us for our next post, where well share how the remaining trees from this historic stand were harvested to become part of a display at the National Museum of Forest Service History. Youll also get a preview of an upcoming article from our award-winning Chestnut magazine that tells the rest of this bittersweet story.#explore #news #americanchestnut #hope #newlife

67 CommentsComment on Facebook

I took over property that has been in my family 200 years. I'm the first to farm it in 100 years. I found two in the back of the property in the holler.

i have a 7/8 american: 1/8 chinese chestnut tree doing very well and has begun to produce chestnuts.

I hate this story. First, to say the trees got a ‘new lease on life’ is a connotative misnomer and disingenuous. A new lease on life would mean that they were saved. What they really got—inevitably, I understand—is a different use in death that allowed someone to make money off their demise. That’s better than letting them rot, but it’s not a happy ending. The fact that the story is written by someone from the timber company, reflecting the point of view of a party to the situation whose motivation is monetary, just ads to the disingenuousness of this story being posted by ACF. Are you conservationists or loggers? The ‘passion for the history’ of the American chestnut time is just a contrivance to make the situation less bleak and depressing. My takeaway is that the last stand of chestnuts is gone and no replacements are arriving anytime soon. From ACF, I want content about progress in bringing chestnut trees back, not a clumsily-glossed-up summary of how someone made money on the last ones we had.

View more comments

Join us Friday and Saturday and enjoy speakers and events, including: social hours, Friday lunch and dinner, plus Saturday lunch! Add on a special orchard tour for just $20 more. Register now and get the early bird rate!

Can't join for the full event? Get the Half Day Pass and just come for Saturday. You still get the chance to add on a special orchard tour!

For more information visit: tacf.org/2026-american-chestnut-symposium/

#americanchestnut #event #forestry #explore #conservation
... See MoreSee Less

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

I may be there

November sixth and seventh……right in the rut!! 🤦‍♂️

Will they do well in zone 8, NE TX? Yesterday we hit a record high of 107’f and can plunge as low as -20’f. Average rainfall is 50+”/year.

View more comments

When our founders and early volunteers started breeding blight-resistant American chestnuts decades ago, they knew restoration would take generations. Like the proverb says, true conservation is about planting for a future we may never see, but one that the younger generations will inherit. Today, we continue that legacy. Want to help us plant the forests of tomorrow?

Visit the following link to learn how to get involved: tacf.org/volunteer/

#explore #americanchestnut #forestrestoration #saveourforests #inspirationalquotes
... See MoreSee Less

When our founders and early volunteers started breeding blight-resistant American chestnuts decades ago, they knew restoration would take generations. Like the proverb says, true conservation is about planting for a future we may never see, but one that the younger generations will inherit. Today, we continue that legacy. Want to help us plant the forests of tomorrow? Visit the following link to learn how to get involved: https://tacf.org/volunteer/ #explore #Americanchestnut #ForestRestoration #SaveOurForests #InspirationalQuotes

15 CommentsComment on Facebook

I planted quite a few American Chestnut trees from chestnuts I got from our local chapter of the ACF headed up by Herb Darling. All but 2 of them died. Mostly from the blight, but some because I planted them in soil that wasn’t drained enough. The 2 that are still alive are on a hill next to Lake Ontario. They’re doing great- even seem to be crowding out the nearby maple trees.

A society grows even more greater when old men plant American Chestnut Trees specifically in whose shade they shall never sit.

Only a fool would sit under a Chestnut tree now until December

View more comments

Load more