West Virginia News

Good and Bad


When posting images of chestnut, we all love great-looking seedlings or trees. They help promote the work of TACF. However, there are also pictures that depict less than ideal images. These are two images, representing the good and the bad. The picture of a dead seedling is the result of drought in northern WV during 2020. The April-planted seedling did not have a root system sufficient to withstand a week of 90+ degree heat and no rain. The second photo depicts a graft done by Dr. Paola Zaninni at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Scionwood was collected in WV and MD this winter and Paola successfully grafted some of the scions for planting in germplasm conservation orchards. We are grateful to Paola for her grafting skills.

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Thank you to our long time Partner, Army Corps of Engineers, Green River Lake. * * * You all do much to educate and serve the thousands of Visitors who enjoy Green River Lake in Central Kentucky. Ken Darnell, KY TACF Chapter President

Last week, the Clemson Facilities Landscape team planted nine Allegheny chinkapin trees (Castanea pumila) at Clemson University in honor of National Arbor Day. These trees came from Chestnut Returns Farm, operated by Joe James in Seneca, South Carolina.

Joe is a longtime member of The Foundation who has worked tirelessly on Phytophthora resistance in American chestnuts and has been working with chinkapins for several years.

#chinkapin #americanchestnut #explorepage #ArborDay #conservation
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Last week, the Clemson Facilities Landscape team planted nine Allegheny chinkapin trees (Castanea pumila) at Clemson University in honor of National Arbor Day. These trees came from Chestnut Returns Farm, operated by Joe James in Seneca, South Carolina. Joe is a longtime member of The Foundation who has worked tirelessly on Phytophthora resistance in American chestnuts and has been working with chinkapins for several years. #chinkapin #americanchestnut #explorepage #arborday #conservationImage attachmentImage attachment

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Are the Allegheny chinkapin trees (Castanea pumila) part of a group of Chestnut Trees developed to prevent the Phytophthora disease that decimated the American Chestnut trees in America?

Interesting. I live seasonally in Seneca (up north in Pennsylvania the rest of the year). My farm in Pennsylvania had a VERY large American chestnut on it that I had to harvest when it died from the blight a few years ago. I do have a house full of furniture that was made from the lumber, which I'm very thankful for, but I'd rather have the tree back. There are still a few other living American chestnuts on the property near/around my farm, but none are as big as mine was (at least not documented, I've been told about a big one that I haven't been able to see yet). I'd like to talk to Mr. James at some point and see his operation.

Michelle McCollum I was unaware of this upstate chestnut tree farm.

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Tissue sampling for recurrent genomic selection is no small task, but thanks to an incredible group of volunteers, we made it happen! Leaf samples were collected, placed in a small tube, and then a wraparound tag with a unique ID was placed on the tree; each unique ID corresponded with the tube the sample was put in. We had volunteers from the Washington County Master Gardeners, Washington County Master Naturalists, Emory and Henry University, and King University. Tissue collection is a key step towards advancing our breeding program, and we are incredibly grateful for everyone who showed up, worked hard, and supported the process. Science moves forward because of people like you! #americanchestnut #RestorationInProgress

#chestnutresearch #forestrestoration #meadowviewresearchfarms #conservationscience
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From far away, it looks okay. Up close, and inside, it’s clear these barns can no longer protect the work of restoration. This Earth Day and throughout our Spring Appeal, help us raise the barn that supports the return of the American chestnut.

Click the following link to donate: support.tacf.org/2026SpringAppeal

#earthday #donate #springappeal #americanchestnut #explorepage
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