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If you find a surviving American chestnut...

The PA Chapter of TACF uses what's called a "tree locator form" to document wild trees for use in our regional breeding program. If you’d like us to analyze the tree, or you think it would be useful to our program, please fill out the tree locator form and send a leaf and twig sample to us -- we'll ID it and, hopefully, be able to use the tree in our program.

Please fill out as much of the form as possible. We especially need location information and knowledge of its size and whether or not it is fruiting.

There are several resources available on how to measure tree diameter and height. If you're not sure how to measure, here are a few links:

How to measure the height of a tree

The Art of Measuring Trees, Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture

Big Tree Formula, PA Big Trees

Stick Method Diagrams, Ohio Dept. of Agriculture

Tree Measuring Guidelines, Eastern Native Tree Society

Please send us a freshly-cut 4-6 inch twig with mature leaves with the tree locator form. The sample would preferably be from a part of the tree that receives a lot of sun. Press the leaves between cardboard to flatten and prevent curling or crushing as it dries. To prevent mold, do not put the sample into a plastic bag. Crushed or bent leaves are much harder to analyze, as are leaves that are not freshly collected. Spring or summer is the best time to collect samples for identification purposes. You will get your results within about 3 weeks after mailing. Thanks for your help!

The PA-TACF tree locator form is available for review and printing in Adobe Reader please click here -- >

If you need a free copy of Adobe Reader please click here-- >

The form is also available as a Microsoft Word document, please click here

If you have any trouble downloading the form, please contact our office, and we will send you a copy electronically or by regular mail.