Maine Chapter

Our Work In Maine

The Problem

The loss of the American chestnut tree (Castanea dentata) is often cited as one of the worst ecological disasters in modern times. An estimated 4 billion chestnut trees, one in four trees in our eastern forests, were killed as a result of a fungus, the chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica).  This fungus was native to Asia but was accidentally brought to New York in 1904. It quickly spread and within a few decades most American chestnuts lay dead on the ground. The species and communities that depended upon them for food and shelter were diminished in turn.

When the fungus girdles and kills the trunk of the tree, the root often survives and sprouts in the forest understory. The tree’s ability to root sprout is the only reason wild chestnuts persist in our forests today. The sprouts grow into trees but rarely mature to the point of flowering and producing seeds. Thus, the blight prevents the American chestnut from reproducing and evolving as a species. Without our intervention the chestnut is unlikely to reclaim its former territory and its outsized role in forest ecology and human culture.

Our Mission

The mission of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) and its 16 chapters is to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range. In our attempts to restore this species, we are blazing a trail to guide future restoration efforts for other trees in trouble.

Our Approach

The goal of the TACF breeding program has been to move the gene for resistance, which occurs in the Chinese chestnut, into the American chestnut’s genome. This goal has been approached in two ways: a standard back-cross breeding program and genetic engineering.

Backcross Breeding

The Maine Chapter of TACF is one of many chapters engaged in a long-term back-cross breeding program with support from TACF’s staff and research farm in Meadowview, VA. Employing Maine wild chestnuts as mother trees, we aim to produce a blight resistant tree that is well adapted to Maine growing conditions.

We have long expected to see blight resistance work its way into the American Chestnut genome but this goal has remained elusive.  Modern gene technology recently revealed that the combination of genes that confer resistance is more complicated and harder to pass along through standard back-cross breeding. After growing and tending hundreds of thousands of young chestnut trees over two decades, we have yet to produce a reliably blight tolerant tree that retains its distinctive American features. We have, however, learned a lot about chestnut trees and identified certain trees that appear somewhat less vulnerable to severe blight infection.

Biotechnology

A transgenic approach to blight tolerance has been underway almost as long as the back-cross breeding program. One benefit of this approach is that the American chestnut genome does not become contaminated by the many extraneous Chinese chestnut genes that come with traditional breeding.

Managed by the State University of New York at Syracuse (SUNY Syracuse), transgenic research to date has been focused on moving a gene found in wheat, bananas, strawberries and many other human foods, into the American chestnut. This gene is effective at protecting plant tissues from invasion by fungi that produce oxalic acid as part of their infection process. The gene produces an enzyme that breaks down the acid. It seems to confer some resistance to the fungus that causes chestnut blight.

Tom Klak, from the University of New England (UNE) in Biddeford Maine, has devoted years to advancing this approach. Dr.Klak has developed ways to speed the growth rate of chestnut seedlings in the greenhouse to produce pollen much faster. In 2021-2023, with help from his students, TACF volunteers, and generous land owners, Tom established a transgenic research orchard in Cape Elizabeth Maine, under special permit by federal regulators, to monitor the performance of the Darling 58 transgenic chestnut under field conditions.

After careful study Dr. Klak and Dr. Han Tan from the University of Maine at Orono, reported some problems with Darling 58. Their lab and field observations, along with reports by other researchers, led to the decision by TACF in December 2023 to pull its support for deregulation of the Darling line for restoration purposes. To read more details go to https://tacf.org/darling-58-performance/

Although this is a setback for advancement of the Darling 58 tree, much has been learned along the way that holds promise for development of a new and better transgenic chestnut. The technology and tools for understanding and testing for blight resistance have advanced dramatically in recent years. These hold the promise for more efficient progress in developing a blight resistant chestnut.   

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Ask away!

Our April 19 Chestnut Chat will provide detailed instructions on how to grow chestnuts. But we need to hear your questions so we know what to cover!

Please add your questions in the comments below and we will do our best to cover them all in the April Chestnut Chat.

Remember there are no dumb questions! We encourage everybody, from complete beginners to seasoned pros, to join in.

Let's grow some chestnuts!

Can't wait for an answer? Check out our Growing Chestnuts page in the meantime at tacf.org/growing-chestnuts
... See MoreSee Less

Ask away!

Our April 19 Chestnut Chat will provide detailed instructions on how to grow chestnuts. But we need to hear your questions so we know what to cover!

Please add your questions in the comments below and we will do our best to cover them all in the April Chestnut Chat.

Remember there are no dumb questions! We encourage everybody, from complete beginners to seasoned pros, to join in.

Lets grow some chestnuts!

Cant wait for an answer? Check out our Growing Chestnuts page in the meantime at https://tacf.org/growing-chestnuts

6 CommentsComment on Facebook

Where can we find seedlings? Seeds?

What is a good fertilizer to use for them!

we would love to grow them haven't had them since england as a girl x

I have 3 Dunstan Chestnuts planted for a few years but I want an American-Chinese Chestnut hybrid that is 75% or more genetically American Chestnut. Is there such chestnut hybrids available commercially (meaning 2 or 3 for my yard, I’m not starting a chestnut orchard) and if so, where?

What other kind of trees or vegetation should they NOT be plant near?

Best place to source from.

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Did you know that TACF has 16 state chapters? They each host a variety of events over the year and here are some that are coming up soon.

Visit our events calendar for more information on these and other TACF happenings. tacf.org/events/category/tacf/
... See MoreSee Less

Did you know that TACF has 16 state chapters? They each host a variety of events over the year and here are some that are coming up soon. 

Visit our events calendar for more information on these and other TACF happenings. https://tacf.org/events/category/tacf/

Thank you to everyone who attended a 40th Anniversary Celebration with their local chapter of TACF.

Top photo: Attendees of the TN Chapter Annual Meeting and 40th Anniversary Celebration, which took place at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

Bottom photo: Attendees of the AL Chapter post-meeting enjoying some brews.

To read more about these and many other TACF happenings, visit the link to read our most recent eSprout newsletter. myemail.constantcontact.com/March-2024-eSprout--Documentary-Wins-an-Award--Domain-Change--Plantin...
... See MoreSee Less

Thank you to everyone who attended a 40th Anniversary Celebration with their local chapter of TACF. 

Top photo: Attendees of the TN Chapter Annual Meeting and 40th Anniversary Celebration, which took place at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

Bottom photo: Attendees of the AL Chapter post-meeting enjoying some brews. 

To read more about these and many other TACF happenings, visit the link to read our most recent eSprout newsletter. https://myemail.constantcontact.com/March-2024-eSprout--Documentary-Wins-an-Award--Domain-Change--Planting-Resources--TACF-News--Featured-Photo--Chapter-News.html?soid=1106103828995&aid=M8kn7e4P1A4

Thanks to everybody who joined us Tuesday for an American chestnut demonstration planting with Jamie Van Clief (TACF Regional Science Coordinator) and Jon Taylor (chestnut enthusiast extraordinaire) at West Asheville Park's edible garden in Asheville, NC!

To find a planting event near you, vist tacf.org/events (link in bio)
... See MoreSee Less

1 CommentComment on Facebook

Are those the 18-20’s from the TVA plot? Good use for them, glad to see

🎥 Have you seen the award-winning chestnut documentary yet? 🌰

Many thanks to all who came out to the screening of Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut at Asheville Pizza & Brewing on Tuesday night.

Fun fact: The only two people in this photo with their backs to the screen are Jamie Van Clief and Jared Westbrook, TACF's Southern Regional Outreach Coordinator and TACF's Director of Science, both of whom are featured in the film and are probably sick of watching themselves 😎

Want to see this inspirational film yourself? Find a screening near you here: rescuingtheamericanchestnut.com/screenings
... See MoreSee Less

🎥 Have you seen the award-winning chestnut documentary yet? 🌰

Many thanks to all who came out to the screening of Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut at Asheville Pizza & Brewing on Tuesday night.

Fun fact: The only two people in this photo with their backs to the screen are Jamie Van Clief and Jared Westbrook, TACFs Southern Regional Outreach Coordinator and TACFs Director of Science, both of whom are featured in the film and are probably sick of watching themselves 😎

Want to see this inspirational film yourself? Find a screening near you here: https://rescuingtheamericanchestnut.com/screenings

1 CommentComment on Facebook

I’d love to go to a screening, but there are apparently none planned for anywhere Northern Virginia where I live.. we can’t make it available to TACF members via the website?

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