Virginia News
Meet the Intern: Jennifer Santoro
Jennifer Santoro, a graduate student at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, is joining the Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation as an intern this summer. Based out of the Marshall office, Jennifer hopes to participate in the...
Wild Surviving Chestnut Found in Prince William Forest Park
Finding large, wild, surviving American chestnuts is always exciting, but to find a healthy one below the fall line in Virginia is both exciting and special. But there it is, right next to a trail in Prince William Forest Park. Prince William Forest Park preserves...
Video on Jennifer Santoro’s Duke University Stanback Internship
VA TACF intern Jennifer A. Santoro, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Master of Forestry & Master of Environmental Management Candidate, produced this brief video explaining her work with VA TACF and why she finds it so rewarding....
Successful Blue Ridge Heritage Planting – May 28
Blue Ridge Heritage, Inc. (BRHI), in partnership with The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is planting native American chestnuts on the property BRHI purchased last year (in the Rocky Knob area of the Blue Ridge Parkway). These plantings are test sites, allowing...
Successful Planting April 4 at Pound, VA
Ten volunteers recruited by the Southwest Virginia Branch helped plant 625 chestnut seeds as part of the Conservation Innovation Grant progeny test at the Red Onion Mine site near Pound, Virginia. The day started dry and cool but a cold front blew in during the...
2013 VA Controlled Pollination
2013 Controlled Pollinations Update by Matt Brinkman, Mid-Atlantic Regional Science Coordinator Pollinations occurred across the state in June despite late flowers and pollen, heavy cicada damage, and relentless rain and thunderstorms. The trees threw another curve...
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Black History Month provides an important opportunity to honor the past and celebrate the Black leaders shaping our present.
Today we highlight Victor Harris, founder of Minority Landowner Magazine and keynote speaker at TACF’s 2022 Fall Symposium.
From exploring the forests of Georgia as a kid to becoming the first Black forester in the Virginia Department of Forestry, Victor has spent his life supporting Black and minority landowners. Read more about Victor and his journey: tacf.org/black-history-and-the-american-chestnut/
#americanchestnut #blackhistory #blackhistorymonth #chestnuts #farming #land #farm #nature #restoration #conservation
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Love grows—just like the American chestnut. 💚
From everyone at TACF, Happy Valentines Day!
Illustrations on our valentines were done by Hal Brindley.
#americanchestnut #explorepage #restoration #conservation #nature #environement #ValentinesDay
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Seed prep is underway! Meadowview Research Farms staff and Emory & Henry Bonner Scholars are currently bagging seeds that will be sent to TACF Seed Level Members next week. These hybrid chestnut seeds are collected from genomically selected mother trees at Meadowview Research Farms and are one of the only ways to get seeds from TACF. Each seed represents a step forward as we prepare them for distribution to our seed level members; thank you for helping grow the future of the American chestnut!
#AmericanChestnut #RestorationInProgress #ChestnutResearch #ForestRestoration #MeadowviewResearchFarms #ChestnutSeedlings
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A major milestone for conservation science.
Our Director of Science, Dr. Jared Westbrook, has published new research in “Science” showing how genomic tools can transform endangered species recovery. By using recurrent genomic selection, we can predict resilience earlier, shorten breeding cycles, and build a restoration system that grows stronger with every generation.
This model doesn’t just help the American chestnut, it could guide restoration for threatened species across the world.
Read the full article: www.science.org/eprint/SBHDH76BXDK366UMHU44/full?activationRedirect=/doi/full/10.1126/science.adw...
#ScienceResearch #ConservationScience #americanchestnut #restoration #conservation #science #nature #explorepage #chestnuts
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Would this work for the American elm tree?
Across the world...is that like around the world?
Is the American Chestnut Foundation releasing hybrid chestnuts for sale again? I knew you'd shut down the program because you didn't consider the hybrid chestnut tree lineage fixed enough yet in terms of growth pattern. I'm wondering if one can buy chestnut tree saplings again from the Chestnut Foundation?
We’re honored to be highlighted in this AVLtoday feature on the American chestnut’s story in Western North Carolina.
While the path to restoration is long, moments like this remind us how many people care about bringing this tree back to the landscape it once defined.
Thank you to everyone who continues to help this story grow.
Read the article: avltoday.6amcity.com/chestnut-tree-wnc
Photo curtsey of Audrey Snow Owen of PA/NJ TACF
#americanchestnut #explorepage #restoration #conservation #environment #nature #asheville #chestnuts
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I thought American chestnuts didn't have hairs on them or shiny leaves. Is this a chinese hybrid?
Is the photo a back crossed hybrid of American chestnut and Chinese chestnut?