eSprout | May 2014

Welcome

TACF is pleased to have you as a member of our team and we

hope you enjoy the May edition of eSprout!

This spring, we are planting thousands of trees and making tremendous progress in our restoration efforts. Please help us continue this important work by making a contribution to our 2014 Spring Appeal today. Time is running out!

Arbor Day Foundation Honors TACF with 2014 Public Awareness of Trees Award

TACF was presented with the 2014 Public Awareness of Trees award from the Arbor Day Foundation in May. This honor recognizes TACF for elevating the public awareness and understanding of the importance of trees. The award was presented to TACF president and CEO, Bryan Burhans by John Rosenow, Arbor Day Foundation chief executive during the annual Arbor Day Awards. Read more.

Diversity Makes Us Great

By David Bevins

In my four years with TACF, the most forthright and pleasant observation I have made about the chestnut community is the great diversity of people involved. This, I think, speaks volumes of the quality and value of the organization's goals; goals many wish to advance. The diversity is an attribute that also applies to the crew at Meadowview, whose governance is the bulk of my work. Read more.

TACF Partners with AmazonSmile

AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that provides customers the same products, low prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when customers shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to a charitable organization of your choosing. TACF is now one of those organizations! Visit: https://smile.amazon.com/ and enter TACF as your AmazonSmile charity of choice.

New Address for TACF National Office

TACF National Office has moved! Almost all the boxes are unpacked and we are slowly getting settled into a great, new location in Asheville. Please make note of our new address:

50 North Merrimon Avenue, Suite 115, Asheville, NC 28804. Our phone number has NOT changed, only our address.

TACF staff would like to thank everyone for their patience during the process and we invite you to visit when you are in the area!

TACF Call for Research Proposals 2014

The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is pleased to announce its annual request for
research proposals. We will entertain any research proposal concerned with the myriad
of aspects involved in chestnut restoration. Deadline for proposals is August 1, 2014. For additional information, visit External Grants on the TACF web site.

Video of the Month

Chestnut Project Small Stem Assay Timelapse

As part of the American Chestnut Research and Restoration project at SUNY-ESF, four small chestnut plants were exposed to chestnut blight. (L-R): an American chestnut called 'Ellis 1,' a Chinese chestnut called 'Qing,' and two modified American chestnuts called 'Darling 215' and 'Darling 311.' This two-minute time-lapse video displays the chestnut's response to the blight over the course of two weeks. Make sure your sound is turned on for the full effect. For additional information, visit Molecular Biology research.

Photo of the Month

Castanea dentata

Photo by J. Hill Craddock. Naturally-occurring American chestnut trees
continue to sprout from the bases of blight-killed trees on the forested slopes of
Lookout Mountain, TN, site of the November 24, 1863 "Battle above the Clouds"
that is now part of the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park.
The Guild Trail, where this tree is located, is maintained in part by the
National Park Service, and by the Lookout Mountain Conservancy.

Calendar of Events

May 31 / PA Chestnut Hike/Mega Transect Training / Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Paint Mill Road, Slatington, PA / 10 am - 3 pm / Contact mail@patacf.org for more info.

June 7 / VA Restoring Chestnuts West of the Blue Ridge / Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton, VA / 2 - 4 pm / Additional info at http://vachestnut.org/restoring-virginias-chestnuts-west-of-the-blue-ridge/.

June 14 / VA Central VA Branch Chestnut Pollinating Season Field Trip / Lesesne State Forest, 2650 Cub Creek Rd, Roseland, VA / 10 am - 12 pm / Visit: http://vachestnut.org/central-va-branch-pollinating-season-field-trip/.

Oct. 16-17 / TACF Fall Board Meeting / Northern Virginia 4H Center, Front Royal, VA / Details to follow / Visit: http://www.nova4h.com/conferencing/.

Oct. 17-18 / TACF Annual Meeting / Northern Virginia 4H Center, Front Royal, VA / Details to follow / Visit: http://www.nova4h.com/conferencing/.

For a listing of all TACF events, visit our online calendar.

The American Chestnut Foundation

50 North Merrimon Avenue, Ste 115
Asheville, NC 28804

(828) 281-0047

www.acf.org

chestnut@acf.org

The mission of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is to restore the American chestnut tree to our eastern woodlands to benefit our environment, our wildlife, and our society.

TACF is a 501(c)3 conservation organization headquartered in Asheville, NC. To learn about TACF and its national breeding program, visit www.acf.org. To join the effort to restore the American chestnut tree, visit www.acf.org/join.php.