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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Chestnuts look so beautiful during pollination season, their catkins (the yellow fuzzy blossoms) are often described as fireworks. 🌰 🎇
Which image is your favorite?
#americanchestnut #fieldwork #nature #pollination #explore
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Wow. Way more explosive looking than the European chestnuts. Beekeepers should be all over that. It’s the most distinct honey I’ve ever had.  As for the aroma… Well… Enough said.
Catkins in my yard are buzzing with bees!
I have tended those trees. MD TACF, join us!
Watch this quick video to learn how we conduct controlled pollinations for our breeding program.
Learn more about our breeding program and our use of the recurrent genomic selection model: tacf.org/tree-breeding/
#americanchestnut #pollination #Conservation #Restoration #explore
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
❤️ The original farmstead my property used to be a part of, grew chestnut trees and Hickory trees. The last two American Chestnut trees died about 6 years ago, they were right on the shoreline of a lake and unfortunately all their nuts fell in the water. They died cause they were both girdled by a beaver that had taken up residence on the lake. I would've done something to protect the two trees but unfortunately were not part of my property and all I could do was watch in horror. I wouldn't dare mess with trees that don't belong to me. I would however love to add some if it's possible to purchase American Chestnut back to our property, our parcel had the Shagbark Hickory trees on it.
Big tree - Asian chestnut ?
Did you know that Allegheny chinquapins can get chestnut blight?
#americanchestnut #DidYouKnow #explore #nature #Conservation
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Would it get a lot bigger if it didn't get the blight? If so, how much?
A wild American chestnut is always a sight to see, especially one with a healed canker.
Have you found any wild American chestnuts?
#americanchestnut #nature #envrionment #blight #explore
22 CommentsComment on Facebook
Quite a few around us in CT, but none that big. I assume what we are seeing are stump sprouts.
God, I hope it has developed genetic resistance and passes that on. I want to live in a world full of American Chestnuts and Elms again
At my art residency in WV there was an American chestnut tree in their yard! I cried! I collected some of the seed pods
Every season tells a story… 🌰
Maybe it’s a chipmunk on the run, a chestnut sprouting new life, or snow dusting winter leaves. However you see it, we want you to capture it. The 2026 American Chestnut Photo Contest is open!
📸 Submit up to 5 photos
🏆 Chance to win TACF gear + a feature in Chestnut magazine + Seed Level membership
🗓️ Entries due December 31, 2026
Your next hike could lead to the winning shot.
Submit photos to: gro.fcat@snoitacinummoc
Visit the following link for more information: tacf.org/2026-photo-contest/
#naturelovers #americanchestnut #photographycontest #exploremore #photography
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