Connecticut Chapter, The American Chestnut Foundation

East Tennessee - New England chestnut connection

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:25:00 -0700

By Bill Adamsen
President, CT Chapter TACF

Dr. Paul Sisco, President of the Carolinas Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation sent this note last week. I enjoyed reading about the New England dispersed progeny of former Tennessean John Quillin Tilson assembling on the family farm in Eastern Tennessee to plant a chestnut orchard - and with the CT connection - thought it would be fun to share. With Paul's permission, I hope you enjoy. Thanks Paul!

On Friday I helped transplant about 100 chestnut seedlings on a farm in a rather remote area of Unicoi County, TN, which is just north of Asheville on modern Interstate 26, but in the old days this was really backwoods country. The field was only 32 miles from my house in Asheville -- almost all by interstate highway now. So this was a much easier drive for me than for any member of the Tennessee chapter.

This is land long owned by the Tilson family, and it's just off Tilson Mountain Road.

And it's got a neat story behind it that connects backwoods Tennessee with New England.

John Quillin Tilson of this family managed to enroll at Yale University in the late 1800's, and wound up as Majority Leader of the US House of Representatives as a Congressman from Connecticut. He retired to New Hampshire, where his descendants still live, but he requested to be buried back on the family farm in the mountains of Tennessee. Here's his biography on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Q._Tilson

One of his descendants, an elderly lady from New Hampshire, drove all the way down to North Carolina to attend the Chestnut Saturday event at Cataloochee Ranch last fall, where she got to see the beautiful chestnut orchard there. And she asked her sons to plant a chestnut orchard on the family farm in Tennessee.

So my helpers in the planting were all from New England -- two from New Hampshire and two from Maine! In the attached photo, Ken (far left) and John (far right) Murray are the New Hampshire guys, and Ryan Hawkins and his grandmother Kay in the middle are from Hartford, Maine. Ryan is finishing college in Portland, ME, and Kay grew up on a dairy farm there. Ryan and Kay's "Down East" accents were very strong to my southern ears.

And then, to add to the fun, the caretaker of the farm showed up with his kids -- all with equally strong East Tennessee accents (example: a chicken lays "aigs" in East Tennessee!)

It makes for a good chestnut story.

Paul

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Lecture - Rise and Fall of Two Great American Trees

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:15:00 -0700

By Bill Adamsen
President, CT Chapter TACF

A lecture at the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford, by author and historian Eric Rutkow, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. The talk explores the histories of the American chestnut and the American elm, two of the nation's greatest trees which were decimated during the twentieth century. Free with general admission: $4 to $8.
For more information see the Historical Society web-site at http://www.chs.org
Eric Rutkow has a soon to be released book American Canopy. Find out more information on the publisher's web-site.
The CT Chapter TACF neither supports or endorses either this lecture or book.

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American Chestnut Foundation - New England Region Chapters Meeting

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:52:00 -0700

Join us for the 2011 American Chestnut Foundation New England Regional Chapters Meeting!

TACF Regional Science Coordinator Kendra Gurney will host a regional chapters meeting on Saturday, November 5th at the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth, NH. We hope you can join us! Please RSVP by Friday, October 28, 2011 if you plan to attend: kendra@acf.org or 802-999-8706. The meeting will start at 10:00 am and wrap-up by 4:00 pm.

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Spring Planting with CTACF!

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:53:00 -0700

The Connecticut Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (CTACF®) needs your help! Spring has arrived and it's time to plant last year's harvest in our orchards. In 2010 we hand-pollinated 6 wild American chestnut "mother trees", all native to CT. These mother trees, located in the towns of Canton, Litchfield, New Hartford, Northfield, Torrington and Woodbridge, were crossed with blight-resistant pollen from TACF®'s Meadowview Reserch Farms in Meadowview, VA. The nuts harvested represent an important step to producing blight-resistant chestnuts that will be adapted to our local climate. If you'd like to help sow the seeds of American chestnut restoration, please join us at one of our up-coming weekend chestnut plantings! [More]

2011 CT Chapter Annual Meeting

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 12:05:00 -0700

Saturday March 26th we'll be hosting the annual meeting of the CT Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation at Bowers Auditorium, Sage Hall, Yale University in New Haven, CT. We have interesting presenters and a fantastic venue - and hope you'll mark you calendar and join us. Should you decide to join, you MUST RSVP by calling Kendra Gurney at 802.951.6771 x1350 or sending her an e-mail at kendra@acf.org. We have been approved to offer qualified attendees two CEU hours of credit in the following licensing categories: Forest Pest Management (category 2), Arborist (category 3D) and Demonstration and Research (category 10). Submission forms and sign-up will be available at the meeting. For further information please contact kendra@acf.org. Simply looking for directions? See the campus map or download the brochure with campus map [340kb] in easily printable format with venue annotations for directions on how to get to the venue.

Topic: Silvical Considerations for American Chestnut Reintroduction

Leila Pinchot is doctoral candidate in the Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her dissertation explores silvicultural methods for assessing the competitive ability of backcross chestnut seedlings. Leila received her Master's degree from the Yale School of Forestry in 2008. She worked for the American Chestnut Foundation for two years before beginning her work at the University of Tennessee. Ms. Pinchot will present preliminary results from a backcross chestnut forest planting on the Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky. Her talk will cover potential challenges to, as well as recommendations for, the successful establishment of chestnut reintroduction plantings.

For more information about our speaker, visit the University of Tennessee's Tree Improvement Program web-site or read this article highlighting the work of her research group.

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Leila Pinchot
Photo: Tracy Powers, UT-TIP

Topic: American Chestnut in Connecticut: Using Geospatial Technology for Site Affinity and Habitat Suitability Modeling

James Hurd is a Research Associate for the Center for Landuse Education and Research (CLEAR), at the University of Connecticut. He spends most of his time looking at the earth from above through satellite and aerial remote sensing imagery and using the technology to generate land cover maps to quantify and characterize the ever changing landscape. His primary research activities focus on the development and application of innovative approaches of remote sensing and geospatial data analysis, particularly as it pertains to landscape characterization and management. Emphasis is on improved land cover mapping and change detection, tidal wetland identification and assessment, impervious surface modeling and estimation, forest fragmentation modeling and quantification, and urban growth/sprawl monitoring. James received BS (1990) and MS (1994) degrees in Natural Resources with a focus on geospatial technologies from the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE) at the University of Connecticut.

James serves as the Director of the Laboratory for Earth Resources Information Systems (LERIS), the principal center at UConn for undergraduate and graduate education and application of remote sensing technology as well as Director of ConnecticutView, one of several nationwide StateView Consortiums making up the AmericaView Program which focus on applied remote sensing research, K-12 and higher STEM education, workforce development, and technology transfer.

For more information about our speaker, visit the University of CT web-site orthe Chestnut Project chestnut project web-site highlighting this work being presented.

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James Hurd
Photo: Morty Ortega, UConn

The presentations will be followed by operational meetings attended by those of you with an interest or business in attending. You are welcome to attend just those sections of the meeting that interest you as outlined in the agenda below.

Agenda
9:30am Opening Reception
10:00am Introduction and speakers
12:00pm CT-TACF Annual Meeting followed by Lunch
1:00pm CT-TACF Board Meeting - Open to All!
2:30pm Expected close of Chapter business The program is free to both members and non-members, as is lunch for those who advance register. To advance register e-mail to indicate your interest in attending. Details on logistics, parking and presentation venues, will be provided well in advance of the meeting. We thank Yale University for their partnership in planning this meeting and providing the venue for the presentations.

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Venue Map

Encountering Chestnut in Corsica

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:49:00 -0700

In the summer of 2010 I received an extraordinary invitation to - with my family - visit a friend and family of long-standing during their annual summer sojourn to Corsica. At breakfast, the morning following our arrival, I was most surprised that the flower arrangements all contained chestnut flowers. In the conversation which followed I apparently impressed my hosts (pointing out the male and female flowers) and having proven I knew something about the chestnut, was thus embraced as worthy of seeing some of the great chestnut forests of Corsica. Expeditions were arranged. Apparently the chestnut in Corsica has practically cult status - and my standing - as an expert on Chestnut was immediately secured. My poor children that the Corsicans actually cared about chestnut was hard to reconcile.

The following photos should give some impression of the extent to which the Corsicans appreciate the chestnut. The photos were taken over a several day period when travelling from Calcatoggio south to Ajjacio (birthplace of Napoleon) and then north to Evisa. In the mountains, chestnut is used to fatten the hogs and sheep and to make beer and bread. In fact - is there anything for which it is not used! In the markets you will find dozens of products made from chestnut. Jams to hams and flour to cakes and cookies, with beer and spirits in between. The market photos are from Ajjacio but I am sure, like the forests, this market is representative of those all over Corsica. I was thrilled to see how the chestnut leaves and flowers were celebrated in the markets by garnishing everything from preserved meats to cheese to cakes. I hope you enjoy!

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Year Over Year Tree Growth

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 04:42:00 -0700

By Bill Adamsen
President, CT Chapter TACF

Year Over Year Growth
Several of our orchards have limited space for additional planting - they are essentially full - with all the trees we expect to plant for the back-cross program. The trees in these orchards have been in place for several years and have put on considerable size since planting, and we wondered exactly how much size had increased since last year's measurements. Following this year's measurements, we performed simple size (height) distribution analysis of the trees for each year for each orchard. By performing that analysis across the entire orchard we could easily compare last year's tree size overall to this years. The results are shown in Graph 1. We also track performance for each orchard through comparative size distribution analysis. Some years see fantastic conditions for growth, and of course there are other variables as well. Some lines get planted in better parts of the orchard for growth, some years the trees get better care at a time they need it most. Each graph represents the back-cross trees grown at one orchard. The axis have been equalized to ease comparison. A binomial formula tells us growing a minimum of seventy-three trees should give us a 99% probability that we will have four progeny with the genes for resistance, in a three gene model for inheritance. The additional trees give us the opportunity to select for desirable ecological traits. Based on the tree size in several orchards we are very close to the point when we can inoculate.

hint: to better see the data on the graphs, you can expand and then view or download the full sized image. You may also download a pdf of all the tables and graphs here [220kb]

Graph 1. CT Backcross by Year

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Graph 2. Woodbridge

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Graph 3. Salem

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Graph 4. NCLT Swann

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Graph 5. Guilford

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Graph 6. Great Mountain Forest

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Graph 7. Litchfield Hills Audubon Society

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Graph 8. City of Middletown Higby

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2010 Annual Summary Report on Orchard Operations

Sun, 07 Nov 2010 09:05:00 -0700

By Bill Adamsen
Director of The American Chestnut Foundation
President, CT Chapter TACF
Wilton, CT

With the rush of autumn harvest over, The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF®) and its Chapters finally get the opportunity to review our progress. It was just five growing seasons ago that the CT Chapter TACF® planted its first back-cross orchards (April 2006). We now have seven orchards and have planted almost three thousand trees - a huge milestone for a volunteer run organization.

Table 1 (Click table see larger version) shows the total number of trees we've grown in our back-cross orchards since those first planting. . These include control trees such as pure or open-pollinated American chestnut in addition to F1 hybrids and pure Chinese chestnuts. However, the overwhelming majority of trees planted are back-cross American chestnut with predominantly genes of CT origin.

Table 1. CT Program Overview *

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Plant Science Day at CAES

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:22:00 -0700

Always a great day at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station Lockwood Farm, the CAES Plant Science Day is Wednesday August 4th from 10 am to 4pm.

There are ninety field plots to review, technical demonstrations, insect identificationn, barn displays, and more. There are several exciting lectures scheduled to begin at 10:15 am including lectures by Kirby C. Stafford III entitled Be Our Guest: The History of Plant Science Day, also by Dr. Sandra L. Anagnostakis on Chestnut Blight: A Trip Through Time .. and then also Dr. Jeffrey S. Ward with Our Dynamic Connecticut Forest: 80 Years of Observation. The official CAES Flyer can be downloaded from here with a full description of activities and directions on getting to Lockwood Farm. Hope to see you there!

TACF Regional Science Coordinator - Mid-Atlantic Regional

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:13:00 -0700

American Chestnut Foundation seeks Mid-Atlantic Regional Science Coordinator

The American Chestnut Foundation is seeking a Regional Science Coordinator, which supports the science-related activities of TACF chapters in MD, VA, and WV and cooperates and participates with the other regional science coordinators and with the chief scientist of TACF. The coordinator supports and advises on chapter breeding programs following accepted breeding-program protocol, including such activities as pollinating, seed collecting, harvesting, storing seeds, selecting planting sites, planning plantings, distributing seeds, directing the planting and maintenance of chestnut trees, inoculating and selecting trees, and record keeping. [More]

Long Term Planning for the Connecticut Chapter, The American Chestnut Foundation

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:02:00 -0700

The CT Chapter, as part of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), has made great strides in the effort to restore the American chestnut tree to its former range. As part of the back-cross breeding program, we have planted thousands of tree in dozens of plantings in our breeding orchards across the state. Within the next year or two, we will begin testing the BC3F1 trees for resistance to the chestnut blight. Nuts from resistant trees will be be planted in seed orchards, and nuts from the most blight resistant of trees grown from those nuts will then be used for more extensive restoration efforts. However, the planning documents that guide our current work are reaching the end of their scope. TACF is currently preparing an overall American Chestnut Restoration Plan. This will provide high level context and direction for the next several years. In addition to this, the CT Chapter needs to develop a long term plan, with more specific recommendations based on our local conditions, needs, and resources. At its last meeting, the CT Chapter Board of Directors authorized the creation of a working group to gather relevant background material, draft a Long Term Plan for the chapter, and based on input from interested parties, present the plan at the next Board meeting. Please read the full article for more information, if you are interested in participating or contributing to this effort. [More]

TACF New England Chapters Held Regional Meeting

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:45:00 -0700

On Saturday, March 20, 2010, the New England Chapters of The American Chestnut Foundation^® (TACF^®) met for a Regional Chapters meeting at the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth, NH. The meeting was organized by Kendra Gurney, New England Regional Science Coordinator for TACF. Approximately twenty people attended, including Bryan Burhans, President of TACF. Jim Gage and Jack Ostroff represented the Connecticut chapter.

The discussions throughout the day were quite diverse, but included (among other topics):

Updating the Chestnut Growers Manual
TACF’s TreesDB project
Chapter strategic and tactical planning
Chapter Bylaws
TACF’s Restoration Plan and Restoration Branches
American chestnut range map
Possibility: regional seed orchards

Please note that this is only general overview, and not a complete “minutes” of the meeting. If you want any further information or details about any of the presentations or discussions, please contact any of the people involved directly.

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Chestnut Flower Season is Here

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:12:00 -0700

If you have any new info on the blooming status of trees you are checking, please let us know soon. Please count if the tree or tree cluster has at least 25 blooming tips - hopefully averaging 2 or more females per bag if 25 bags placed. A full line on the first try is our goal. For completing a line we could consider one with fewer tips, but remember it's very expensive for companies to send a truck, would like the probability of harvesting the full balance needed to finish the line.

Bagging may start during the week of the 13th. With the warm weather it appears the season is coming on very fast - much earlier than last year.

We're checking if additional bucket truck companies may be available, so knowing which towns helps with the request. Please consider helping on site. We can send out bags, ties and markers to number the bags, you would need pruning shears (although the truck arborist usually has his/her own). There are resources on our websites about timing and what to do. Some low growing trees may be able to facilitate a successful ground based bagging, please be careful. Keep in mind that the bucket truck companies need advance notice of at least a few days to schedule their trucks.

Gayle Kida
The American Chestnut Foundation®
CT Chapter Tree Breeding Coordinator
Gayle7258gk 'at' gmail 'dot' com

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A Big Thank You for Chestnut Planting Help in Guilford and Middletown

Sun, 16 May 2010 11:32:00 -0700

On Saturday, May 1, 2010 dozens of hardy volunteers battled near-record heat to plant two American chestnut breeding orchards with the Connecticut Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation® (CT-TACF®). Volunteers included CT-TACF Board members, Forestry and Conservation Commission members, high school students, Cub Scouts and many others. Planting would not have been successful without so many willing hands (and backs!) pitching in to plant close to 500 chestnuts. A big Thank You goes out to everyone for their efforts!

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Volunteers Plant the Litchfield Hills Audubon Society's Wigwam Brook Orchard

Sun, 16 May 2010 10:16:00 -0700

Saturday May 8th an eighteen member team of volunteer orchard planters descended on the Litchfield Hills Audubon Society's Wigwam Brook property to plant the new American Chestnut Foundation back-cross chestnut research orchard. The group, made up of members of the CT Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation and members of The Litchfield Hills Audubon Society (and quite a few members of both) sat out the first fifteen minutes in parked cars as a fierce storm crossed the area. Once the storm passed, the planting began. The goal was to plant several lines of back-cross nuts pollinated in June of last year as well a number of control trees. One line came from a tree pollinated by CT-TACF Board Member Gayle Kida in Willington, CT. The other lines were local and pollinated by John Baker in Litchfield, and Bill Moorhead in Torrington.

The event was recorded by Waterbury Republican-American Newspaper Journalist John McKenna and published the following day as a lead story. See the original story as it appeared on-line in the Waterbury Republican-American.

Click on the more link to read more about the event and see additional photos capturing the planting event.

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