Virginia Chapter

Virginia News

Mayes Speaks to Prince William Garden Clubs

Cathy Mayes made a presentation in January 2019 to the Prince William Area Council of Garden Clubs on chestnut trees and the blight that nearly obliterated the species in America.  The Council membership is five garden clubs in Prince William County, Virginia.

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Buy a Turkey, Help TACF!

Wondering where to buy your Christmas turkey? We've got the answer!  This year Gentle Harvest, a wholesaler and retailer of locally grown, humane, and organic foods in Marshall, VA, has partnered with TACF to raise awareness about the American chestnut tree, thanks in...

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Ceremonial Trees Planted at Boxerwood

Ceremonial Trees Planted at Boxerwood

Two blight-resistant American chestnut trees were recently planted at the beautiful preserve at Boxerwood in Lexington, Virginia.  The trees, which now measure about 18 inches in height, will grow to more than 50 feet over the years. The Boxerwood press release...

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Linda Duncan’s Art Chosen for Master Naturalist 2019 Pin

Linda Duncan’s Art Chosen for Master Naturalist 2019 Pin

It's with pride that we report that Linda Duncan's watercolor of the American chestnut bur was chosen for use on the Virginia Master Naturalist 2019 recertification pin.  Each year, the VMN program creates a special recertification pin to recognize those volunteers...

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Garden Club Exhibit a Success

Garden Club Exhibit a Success

Virginia TACF staffed a combined exhibit with Mill Mountain Garden Club at the Garden Club of America meeting in Roanoke on October 9-11.  The Mill Mountain Garden Club has 100 members in the Roanoke Valley. The meeting was attended by nearly 100 members from all over...

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Progress Harvesting Orchards!

Progress Harvesting Orchards!

Good news!  We are almost finished with harvesting backcross orchards in Virginia.  Fortunes Cove was loaded with burs; the same was true with the orchard at Blandy and a few of the others. Soon we’ll focus our efforts on harvesting wild Americans.   This is a chance...

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Join us on tomorrow, October 10, 2025, from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (EPT), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat.

Our special guest, Dr. Trevor Walker, Assistant Professor of Forest Genetics and Co-Director of the Cooperative Tree Improvement Program at NC State University, will share insights from 70 years of breeding loblolly pine for disease resistance, growth, and stem form. He will also consider which practices are likely to succeed for American chestnut, which are not, and why.

Visit tacf.org/event/chestnut-chat-breeding-disease-resistance-in-loblolly-pine/ to learn more or register.
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Join us on tomorrow, October 10, 2025, from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (EPT), for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat.Our special guest, Dr. Trevor Walker, Assistant Professor of Forest Genetics and Co-Director of the Cooperative Tree Improvement Program at NC State University, will share insights from 70 years of breeding loblolly pine for disease resistance, growth, and stem form. He will also consider which practices are likely to succeed for American chestnut, which are not, and why.Visit https://tacf.org/event/chestnut-chat-breeding-disease-resistance-in-loblolly-pine/ to learn more or register.

Do you love pulling on your work gloves and cracking open freshly fallen burs to reveal the chestnuts inside? If you do, but don’t have any of your own yet, become a member and get access to our wild-type seed sale in 2026. In just a few years, your hands could be full of spiky burs and American chestnuts of your own. support.tacf.org/membership/new-regular ... See MoreSee Less

35 CommentsComment on Facebook

I use my boots to open them!

Porcupine eggs!!😂🤣

I have a bag full.

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We’re proud to share this segment from the PBS show Human Footprint, featuring former TACF staff member Sara Fitzsimmons. The American chestnut sequence was selected to be adapted into a standalone YouTube video, which launched in late September and has already garnered more than half a million views. Sara’s dedication and expertise have shaped much of the progress in restoring the American chestnut. Give it a watch to learn more about this important work. ... See MoreSee Less

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2 CommentsComment on Facebook

Great presentation!

🌰 Harvest season at TACF’s Meadowview Research Farms brings both beauty and breakthrough science. Many of the chestnut crosses we gather are generated through recurrent genomic selection—cutting-edge research driving restoration forward. Each bur holds not only the wonder of new life, but also the promise of a future where the majestic American chestnut returns to our forests. 🌳

#americanchestnut #castaneadentata #americanchestnutfoundation #ChestnutResearch #meadowviewresearchfarms
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1 CommentComment on Facebook

Are there places we can purchases a Chestnut tree that is disease resistant? Thanks!

We'll be co-hosting American Chestnut Day at the NC Arboretum this Saturday! If you're local, we hope you'll join us for a fun day of speakers, activities, and even a wild-type chestnut seedling sale! ... See MoreSee Less

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