Vermont / New Hampshire News

Free Membership With The American Chestnut Foundation for Students at VT and NH Institutions of Higher Education

Appeal to Students
New Student Membership Application Form

What is the most important tree that ever grew in eastern U.S. forests?

American chestnut, Castanea dentata

Why was it so important?

• One of the largest trees in the eastern U.S.; measuring 6-8’ diameter at breast height (DBH).
• The tree once dominated portion of the forest across its native range of 200 million acres.
• A wide diversity of wildlife consumed its nuts as an important food source.
• Livestock was fed by foraging for American chestnuts.
• It was an important traditional human food source.

How was the wood used?

• Lumber was light-weight, strong, rot-resistant and resisted warping.
• The wood was used for furniture making.
• Bridge and railroad construction depended on the strength of the wood.
• Tannin extracted from the wood was used to make leather.

Have you ever seen a large American chestnut tree in the forest?

Probably not! It has been nearly driven to extinction by a fungal disease, chestnut blight, caused by the pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica. Small sprouts from stumps is typically all that is found.

Has this magnificent tree been able to survive the blight?

American Chestnut sprouts still grow across the historic range but they eventually succumb to
chestnut blight. A very small percentage of these trees live long enough to produce nuts.

Is there hope for restoring the American chestnut tree to eastern U.S. forests?

Yes, The American Chestnut Foundation, working with SUNY-ESF (Syracuse), has developed a blight tolerant American chestnut. You can learn more here: https://www.esf.edu/chestnut/ and https://tinyurl.com/ACFrestoration.

What are the priorities for American chestnut restoration in VT/NH?

We need your help to locate wild, flowering American chestnut trees. We will harvest and plant
their nuts to grow trees that preserve genetic diversity for use in future breeding programs.

How can you get involved?

Take advantage of the VT/NH Chapter Free Student Membership offer by completing and
submitting the  application form and participate in chestnut restoration activities.

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Lucinda’s got a tree to introduce you to 🌳👋
Meet even more trees at tacf.org/meet-the-trees/
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8 CommentsComment on Facebook

This is D2-19-136 if you'd like to view it on our webpage!

Great video, keep them coming.

Thanks. I have one from OIKOS that was advertised as 95% American. Here's the trunk -- alittle blight on the lowest branch at left, but that's been yrs ago and has healed over. It's been putting out male pollen racemes, but they don't open (become fuzzy) -- don't know why.

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Reminder! TACF's 2025 American Chestnut Photo Contest is going on now, with a new, extended deadline!

The first-place winner will have their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine and receive a one-year TACF membership, along with a T-shirt and hat. The second-place winner will receive a T-shirt and sticker, and the third-place winner will receive a sticker. All winners will be recognized in a future issue of Chestnut.

Visit tacf.org/2025-photo-contest/ for all the details.
... See MoreSee Less

Reminder! TACFs 2025 American Chestnut Photo Contest is going on now, with a new, extended deadline! The first-place winner will have their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine and receive a one-year TACF membership, along with a T-shirt and hat. The second-place winner will receive a T-shirt and sticker, and the third-place winner will receive a sticker. All winners will be recognized in a future issue of Chestnut.Visit https://tacf.org/2025-photo-contest/ for all the details.

1 CommentComment on Facebook

who has chestnut seeds? i want to grow some.

Celebrate the legacy of Rex Mann—forester, storyteller, and passionate champion for the American chestnut—with this limited edition Leave Tracks t-shirt.

Rex devoted his life to restoring forests and inspiring others to care for the land. Now, you can honor his memory and help carry his mission forward.

🌳 100% of the proceeds from every shirt go to The American Chestnut Foundation (THANK YOU!), supporting the work Rex believed in so deeply.

👉 Pre-order now through August 2: scottmann.com/store/Leave-Tracks-In-Honor-of-Rex-Mann-PREORDER-p768130686

Let’s keep walking the trail Rex helped blaze.
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Celebrate the legacy of Rex Mann—forester, storyteller, and passionate champion for the American chestnut—with this limited edition Leave Tracks t-shirt.Rex devoted his life to restoring forests and inspiring others to care for the land. Now, you can honor his memory and help carry his mission forward.🌳 100% of the proceeds from every shirt go to The American Chestnut Foundation (THANK YOU!), supporting the work Rex believed in so deeply.👉 Pre-order now through August 2: https://scottmann.com/store/Leave-Tracks-In-Honor-of-Rex-Mann-PREORDER-p768130686Let’s keep walking the trail Rex helped blaze.

We’re excited to share a new animated video explaining TACF’s RGS program! ... See MoreSee Less

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1 CommentComment on Facebook

Transgenic American Chestnuts are still a much better option. The product of this method will always be a hybrid and that should not be the goal.

One of the greatest ecological disasters the US has ever seen. Chestnut blight wiped out the American chestnut tree in less than 50 years.⁠
A tree that once made up nearly 25% of the eastern forests was reduced to a functionally extinct species.⁠

The Asian fungus Cryphonectria parasitica was accidentally introduced into the United States in the late 1800s. While a few diseased chestnuts were noted in the 1880s and 90s, it wasn't until 1904 that the pathogen was identified in New York City. From that point, the blight spread rapidly. By 1950 the entire range had been consumed.⁠

The fungus causes cankers that spread around the trunk of the tree, girdling it and killing everything above ground. Many root systems still survive today and continue to send up shoots, but these also eventually succumb to blight. Because American chestnuts rarely survive long enough to reproduce, the species is considered functionally extinct.⁠

The American Chestnut Foundation is working to develop blight-resistant American chestnuts that can be used to restore this iconic tree to its native range. Learn more at tacf.org/about-us (link in bio)
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145 CommentsComment on Facebook

I think I may have found an American Chestnut tucked away in a backyard

Incredibly important work…it was such a travesty for our forests!

The trees seem to still be intact outside their range in isolated areas. Theres a few large ones here in central Michigan on a peninsula and again on the Leelenau peninsula in the nw lower peninsula. I keep seeing people chime in about adult trees here and there. Seems like there's hope!

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