About Us
The West Virginia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (WV-TACF) was established in 2009, the last of TACF’s 16 state chapters to be incorporated. Hybrid chestnut trees have been planted at 68 sites in 26 WV counties. We have initiated germplasm conservation orchards (pure American chestnut plantings) at seven sites in the state. Chapter members help support the mission of the national organization by planting hybrid chestnuts, conducting education, research, and outreach.
If you would like to participate in this group please join us. We include people from all areas that have an interest in restoring this magnificent tree to our forests. When you join The American Chestnut Foundation, a portion of your dues will be shared with the WV-TACF Chapter.
To learn more about who we are and what we do, read our monthly newsletter!
Chestnut Identification
Distinguishing American from Chinese and European Chestnut
Sometimes, individuals who come across a tall chestnut tree in a forest setting, assume it must be an American chestnut. This is not always the case. In forest settings, Chinese chestnut, like its American cousin, also can grown straight and tall. Leaf shape, leaf hairs and twig color are good characteristics to distinguish American from Chinese chestnut. American chestnut leaves are generally long and slender with a “V” at the leaf base. Chinese chestnuts have a wider leaf and they are often shiny. Chinese chestnut leaves have a “U” shape at the leaf base. Most striking are the hairs on the under-surface of Chinese chestnut leaves. American chestnut leaves have no hairs. Chinese twigs, generally brown in color, also have hairs. American twigs, generally exhibit a reddish color, and like the leaves, the twigs have no hairs. Buds are another characteristic–American buds are pointed compared to rounded Chinese buds.
In some areas of the eastern U.S., European chestnut trees can be found. In comparison, European twigs are much stouter than either American or Chinese chestnut. Buds on a European are often large and green in early spring, turning darker by mid-summer. Buds are green in the spring, turning dark in summer.
Click here for more chestnut leaf and tree identification information.
WV Chapter Board of Directors
President
Mark Double, Morgantown
Vice President
Jerry Legg, Elkview
Secretary
Jeff Kochenderfer, Petersburg
Treasurer
Sam Muncy, Philippi
Board Members
Dr. Lewis Cook, Fayetteville
Linda Coyle, Keyser
Dr. Joe Golden, Beckley
Jimmy Jenkins, Flatwoods
Carla Kesling, Bridgeport
Dr. Don Kines, Davis
Dr. Brian Perkins, Elkins
Charles Sypolt, Glenville
Dr. Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, Elkins
West Virginia Chapter Menu
National Facebook
Whether you already love American chestnut trees or are looking for a new cause to support, consider volunteering with TACF! Volunteering with TACF allows you to learn new skills while participating in an historical effort to restore a functionally extinct species and help heal the environment.
Visit tacf.org/volunteer/ to learn more!
Check out SAHC website: appalachian.org
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How do you know when a female chestnut flower is ready to mate? She starts showing off her styles. This is not a joke. This is straight up factual facts. If you want funny jokes you'll have to go looking somewhere else. Meanwhile, enjoy this episode about our American chestnut friends Cassie and Denny and their first signs of flowers. #cassieanddenny
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Marcy Caldwell Rau
We love what Tree Plenish is doing and we salute their efforts! Learn more about their organization by clicking this link to their website: www.tree-plenish.org
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In a recent article by New York magazine’s Intelligencer, journalist Kate Morgan details the history of the development of the Darling 58 transgenic American chestnut tree, the discovery that it was, in fact, Darling 54, and how that impacted the partnership between The American Chestnut Foundation and SUNY ESF’s American Chestnut Research & Restoration Project.
TACF President & CEO Will Pitt, along with TACF Chief Conservation Officer Sara Fitzsimmons are quoted.
This article is available for a limited time to non-subscribers of New York magazine; visit the link for more details.
tacf.org/the-problem-with-darling-58-the-fight-to-save-americas-iconic-tree/
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The D58/4 mixup was one thing - shouldn't have happened but did. Should've been caught much earlier but wasn't, but particularly unconscionable was ESF's getting in bed with American Castanea, particularly after all the proud pronouncements about not patenting etc. Besides which, AC had no background that I've heard in growing trees.
Hay y'all! Please! These GMO companies are NOT passionate about ecology and tree study like you are at the foundation and how the community here adores this tree and seems to help in any way they are able to. They know it's billions of dollars to be made with chestnuts..... And FAKE GMO TREES ARE NOT GOING TO HELP!! I know of a bunch of large specimens in the Northeast I spent years searching for and continue to. Will be sending samples for testing for the first time this autumn I'm excited to speak with y'all! The tree is FUNCTIONAL AND THRIVING in particular places. But they need stable, happy (organic/wild) ecosystems to behave this way.... Can't just jam trees in the ground and hope for chance.... If I'm ever financially stable I love to participate in bigger projects and planning in the future keep fighting the good fight!! Thank you for listening bless'ed love! 🌰🌱🌳🍁🙏✌️🐺🐾🐾🤘🌟
I think the real problem was over who thought they were responsible for distribution of seedling. Both groups were building distribution networks. TACF thought they were in charge of the program while ESF only felt they needed to be informed. That TACF tried to make it about the money was embarrassing. No one’s going to make a fortune in conservation. The couple million TACF donated is probably nothing compared with what the state of NY (or any of the other Universities) have spent. Weird… internal financial controls at Universities are allot more rigorous than for a non-profit.
Don't forget to enter the 2024 American Chestnut Photo Contest! We love to see photos that include every season, angle, and aspect of American chestnut, so get creative. Click this link for more information: tacf.org/2024-photo-contest/
This adorable photo was taken by Michelle Casson, who submitted in 2016.
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