The American Chestnut Foundation

09/04/2026

We love our Bonner Scholars!

Thank you, Bonner Scholars!
As we head into the fall semester, we want to take a moment to recognize and thank our wonderful Bonner Scholars for their time, hard work, and dedication to Meadowview Research Farms last spring semester! We are especially grateful to Gabbie and Maddy who graduated from Emory & Henry this past spring, who each served with The American Chestnut Foundation for more than two years. Their commitment and contributions have made a lasting impact on our research farm, and we are so thankful for all they have done! We also want to recognize Carson, who joined us last spring and has been an important part of our team. We’re excited that Carson will be continuing to serve with us this semester.
Thank you, Gabbie, Maddy, and Carson, for all of your hard work and for being such an important part of the Meadowview family. We wish Gabbie and Maddy all the best in their next adventures, and we’re excited to have Carson continuing on with us!
And an additional thanks to Meadowview Research Farms' Tree Improvement Scientist, Lucinda Wigfield, for her outstanding coordination and supervision of this important student group!

09/01/2026

The mysterious voice in this video might be onto something... 👀🌰

Looking for a research project idea? The American chestnut has plenty of unanswered questions waiting to be explored.

If your project touches on chestnut restoration, genetics, blight, ecology, biotechnology, history, or another chestnut-related topic, consider sharing your work at the TACF 2026 Symposium Poster Session.

Give your research an audience beyond the classroom and connect with others working to restore the American chestnut.

For more information visit:https://tacf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Poster-Session-RFP.pdf

08/30/2026

Inside this American chestnut box is a Dolly Parton song that no one will hear until 2046.

Dolly Parton's "Dream Box" will remain sealed until her 100th birthday. Made from American chestnut wood, it stands as a tribute to her uncle and mentor, Bill Owens.

Many know Owens as an important influence on Dolly's songwriting. Fewer know that he was also a tireless advocate for restoring the American chestnut, a tree once thought lost from eastern forests.

Inside the chestnut box is a song Dolly wrote to be released as her last: "My Place in History."

There is something fitting about that. A song about the place we leave behind, preserved in a box made from a tree once thought lost that generations of people have worked to bring back.

Like so much in conservation, Bill Owens' legacy is not only what he accomplished himself, but what he passed on: knowledge, passion, and a connection to those who came after him.

Forests endure because people choose to carry them forward. So do legacies.

When that box is finally opened in 2046, I hope to be listening to "My Place in History" beneath the shade of an American chestnut; one that Bill Owens helped bring back.

08/26/2026

"Dolly's music is rooted in the Appalachians," her uncle Bill Owens once said. "The American chestnut was once the most important tree in these mountains, feeding wildlife and people alike."

The comparison feels especially meaningful today. Both Dolly Parton and the American chestnut grew from Appalachian roots to become enduring icons. Both nourished generations, one with food and shelter, the other with music, compassion, and hope. Both became symbols of resilience, generosity, and the richness of mountain culture.

The American chestnut's story lives on in the forests it shaped. Dolly's story lives on in the millions of lives she touched.

Appalachia gave the world both. And the world is better because it did.

Read our article "Dolly Parton: A Life Rooted In Giving" about Dolly's work with the Foundation and see how far her generosity reached: https://tacf.org/dolly-parton-a-life-rooted-in-giving/

08/22/2026

This is part two so if you didn't see our last post, go check it out! When blight reached the remaining American chestnuts in Wisconsin's historic stand, the Helming family faced a difficult decision.

Today, those trees live on as part of a display at the National Museum of Forest Service History, where their story will inspire future generations.

Read an exclusive excerpt from an upcoming Chestnut magazine article about the process, and become a member to read the complete story in the next issue.

Click the following link to read: https://tacf.org/tacf-at-national-museum-forest-history/

08/20/2026

Thank you for doing this! We love opportunities to inspire the next generation 🌰

08/19/2026

In 2020, signs of chestnut blight appeared on one of the largest known American chestnut stands in the country, leading to the difficult decision about how to preserve its legacy.

Read the story of this remarkable stand: https://ivtlogs.com/american-chestnut/

Then follow us for our next post, where we'll share how the remaining trees from this historic stand were harvested to become part of a display at the National Museum of Forest Service History. You'll also get a preview of an upcoming article from our award-winning Chestnut magazine that tells the rest of this bittersweet story.

08/18/2026

Join us Friday and Saturday and enjoy speakers and events, including: social hours, Friday lunch and dinner, plus Saturday lunch! Add on a special orchard tour for just $20 more. Register now and get the early bird rate!

Can't join for the full event? Get the Half Day Pass and just come for Saturday. You still get the chance to add on a special orchard tour!

For more information visit: https://tacf.org/2026-american-chestnut-symposium/

08/14/2026

When our founders and early volunteers started breeding blight-resistant American chestnuts decades ago, they knew restoration would take generations. Like the proverb says, true conservation is about planting for a future we may never see, but one that the younger generations will inherit. Today, we continue that legacy. Want to help us plant the forests of tomorrow?

Visit the following link to learn how to get involved: https://tacf.org/volunteer/

08/07/2026

Have a great photo of an American chestnut tree, bloom, bur, leaf, restoration planting, volunteer event, or wildlife interaction? We'd love to see it! (Photo pictured taken by 2025 2rd place winner Eric Sizemore)

First Place receives:
- Their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine
- A one-year TACF Seed Level Membership (a $300 value!)
- TACF merchandise

Second and Third Place winners will receive:
- TACF swag
- Recognition alongside the first-place winner in the 2027 Spring/Summer issue of Chestnut.

Submit your entries by December 31, 2026.

Visit the following link for more information and complete submission details: https://tacf.org/2026-photo-contest/