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The demise of the American chestnut tree is
one of the greatest ecological disasters of the current era. The American
chestnut was the keystone of the ecology and economy of the eastern United
States throughout the 1800s. It was a fast growing, rot-resistant tree, that was
essential to the timber industry-- and produced a reliable crop of nuts for both
wildlife and human consumption. The loss of the species due to a deadly fungus
left a huge gap in the forest ecosystem.
The Pennsylvania Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (PA-TACF) is a 501
(c) 3 not for profit with
the mission to restore the American chestnut
tree to the forests of Pennsylvania and the Eastern United States, in support of The American
Chestnut Foundation's tree breeding program and mission.
Contact us at: Penn State University
206 Forest Resource Lab
University Park, PA 16802
Email :
814-863-7192
We partner with local and national organizations to
accomplish our breeding goals.
Click here
to see our extensive list of
collaborators.
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PA-TACF and it's volunteers maintain
more than 150 orchards in Pennsylvania and have planted more than 32,000 trees. Click
on the map below to find a location near you.
Map of Pennsylvania Orchards, as of
December 2007(pdf file format)
Volunteers spend more than
10,000 hours per year helping with orchard plantings, maintenance,
pollination, and harvesting.
Open the
Chapter activities page
to learn more about our organization. You can help PA-TACF. Please become a
member and
help restore this great tree to our forests and woodlands, and contact our office
to volunteer. See our
membership page and
membership form
for member-only benefits.
Do you know where an American chestnut is located? We need more American chestnut trees for our
regional breeding program. Please review the
field
identification page and let us know where
you find American trees with the
Locator
Form
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Chapter 2008 Calendar
Celebrate TACF's 25th
Anniversary in 2008 with a hike on the Appalachian Trail. More details
forthcoming!
| February 7-9 |
PASA (PA
Association of Sustainable Agriculture) conference, State College, PA. Volunteers needed. |
| February 28 |
Western
Pennsylvania Nature Center Roundtable, Pennsylvania Wild Resources Symposium |
| February 29 |
The Pennsylvania
Association of Environmental Educators 2008 Conference called LEEAP IN!
(Linking Environmental Education and Play in Nature!) |
| March 11 |
NJ Native Plant
Society Annual Meeting, Holly House, Cook College |
| March 29 |
Annual Spring
Meeting, Milton B. Hershey Environmental Center, Hershey, PA. Featured Speaker:
Dr. Bob Paris |
| April |
Planting Season
Begins! |
| April 1 |
Presentation to
the PA Game Commission's Northwest Food and Cover Meeting, Franklin, PA. |
| April 3 |
Planting at
Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA |
| April 4-6 |
TACF Board and
Cabinet Meetings, Pittsburgh, PA. Visit www.acf.org
for meeting details. |
| April 6 |
Planting: 5th
Generation orchard at Lancaster County Conservancy House Rock property.
Volunteers needed to plant 1,000 chestnuts and up to 3,500 pine trees.
Refreshments provided. Rain Date: April 19th. Call Tim Eck 717-201-4668 |
| April 17 |
Planting, Juniata
College, Huntingdon County |
| April 19 |
Westmoreland
Earth Day at St. Vincent's College. Volunteers needed. |
| April 19 |
Earth Day at
Lewis Morris Park, Morristown, NJ |
| April 21 and 25 |
Planting at the
Arboretum at Penn State |
| April 23 and 24 |
First Annual
Hoss's Steak and Sea House Fundraiser. Various locations across PA. Call for details. |
| April 24-25 |
Outdoor Heritage
Education Event at Quemahoning Reservoir, Somerset County, PA. |
| April 27 |
Great Swamp
National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, NJ. |
| May 3 |
Cheat River
Festival, Morgantown, W.V. |
| May 13 |
Presentation to
the Nutly Community Preservation Partnership, New Jersey. |
| May 31 |
Totally Terrific
Treehouses Event at Tyler Arboretum, Media, PA. Volunteers needed to staff
chestnut display/booth. |
| June 7 |
National Trails
Day: A TACF 25th Anniversary Event, at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park,
West Virginia. |
| June 7 |
National Trails
Day: Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Boiling Springs, PA. Volunteers needed to
staff chestnut display/booth. |
| July 18 |
PA-TACF Day at
the Spikes baseball game, Lubrano Park, State College, PA. Call or e-mail us for
ticket information. |
| August 19-21 |
Ag Progress Days,
Rock Springs, PA. Volunteers needed. |
| September 13 |
Wild Resources
Conservation Festival, Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle State
Park. Volunteers needed. |
| September 21-23 |
2008
International Urban Parks Conference, Pittsburgh, PA |
| October 24-26 |
TACF 25th
Anniversary Meeting in Chattanooga, TN |
| November 1 |
PA-TACF Fall
Meeting, Community Arts Center, Williamsport, PA |
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