WINTER 2018 ~ ISSUE 1 VOL. 32 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION A BENEFIT TO MEMBERS Early Successional Forests ~ Pure American Chestnuts ~ Annual Meeting Highlights ~ Blight Resistance Screening WINTER 2018 ~ ISSUE 1 VOL. 32 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION 1 3 11 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE NEWS FROM TACF NEWS FROM TACF from Lisa Thomson Those Pesky Voles Chestnut Planting Conservation Area Dedicated on Cape Cod For the Love of Chestnuts Planting Pure American Chestnuts Early Successional Forests The Merry One 17 22 32 2017 ANNUAL MEETING THE SCIENCE PIONEERS HIGHLIGHTS Accelerating Blight Dennis Fulbright Resistance Screening NE-1333 Meeting The American Chestnut Tree Returns 35 36 37 REFLECTIONS RECIPE IN MEMORY AND 1891 Chestnut Circular Roasted Butternut Squash IN HONOR and Chestnut Soup A BENEFIT TO MEMBERS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE DEAR CHESTNUT ENTHUSIASTS, Welcome to 2018 and a new year of hopes and dreams to further the mission of TACF. The passion and fervor of our supporters never ceases to amaze me, as our mission spans generations of time. This passion was evident at our rousing fall meeting in Portland, Maine. What a gathering it was! A group boated to an island near Portland for a lobster roast; we enjoyed spectacular keynote speakers and workshop leaders; and participated in a chestnut orchard tour on the final day of the meeting that highlighted a large surviving American chestnut. I loved seeing the rekindling of friendships, the exchange of ideas, and the young scholars competing for the best scientific posters. We are grateful for the stalwart Maine Chapter volunteers who were invaluable friends and tireless workers to ensure the meeting went smoothly. Lisa Thomson We are already gearing up for our 2018 fall meeting at the other end of the chestnut range in Huntsville, Alabama. Please mark your President and CEO calendars for October 26-28, 2018 and plan to enjoy some southern hospitality. The Alabama Chapter is very excited to host us! Meanwhile, science marches on. We have been rogueing, inoculating, analyzing data, and planning our 2018 plantings. Meadowview Research Farm staff are busy building our greenhouse, thanks to your generosity. We are working closely with State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) to ensure the transgenic tree will navigate through the complicated (and expensive) federal regulatory process and will be available for release in the near future. It is a non-stop effort to work all pathways towards the goal of restoring the American chestnut. We are so glad you are with us in this effort. Many of you donated to our year-end appeal and I am so grateful for your generosity and loyalty. Like myself, many of you have TACF in your estate plans; if you have not notified us of your intentions, we would love to thank you and make you a member of the Chestnut Society. Here is a challenge: please recruit five new members in 2018 in your circle of friends and associates. If all of us did this, our membership rolls would increase exponentially, translating into new and increased resources to speed up our restoration efforts. Happy New Year! Lisa Thomson, President and CEO The American Chestnut Foundation Follow me on Twitter (@MadameChestnut). TheThe NEW Journal Journal of The of TheAmerican American Chestnut Chestnut Foundation Foundation ~ 1 Snowy Bur This wintery photo was taken at Meadowview Research Farms several years ago. It recently reemerged and we thought it would make a nice cover for the magazine. WHAT WE DO The mission of The American Chestnut Foundation is to return the iconic American chestnut to its native range. [email protected] acf.org CONTACT US facebook.com/americanchestnut twitter/chestnut1904 TACF National Office Mid-Atlantic Regional Office North Central Regional Office 50 N. Merrimon Avenue The American Chestnut Pennsylvania State University Suite 115 Foundation 206 Forest Resources Lab Asheville, NC 28804 900 Natural Resources Drive University Park, PA 16802 (828) 281-0047 Charlottesville, VA 22903 (814) 863-7192 (828) 281-0047 Meadowview Research Farms Southern Regional Office 29010 Hawthorne Drive New England Regional Office 50 N. Merrimon Avenue Meadowview, VA 24361-3349 Northern Research Station Suite 115 (276) 944-4631 Forest Service, U.S. Asheville, NC 28804 Department of Agriculture (434) 906-9312 705 Spear Street South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 999-8706 OFFICERS EMERITUS MEMBERS Dr. Jared Westbrook, CHAIRMAN: Essie Burnworth, (posthumously) Director of Science Michael D. Doochin, TN Dr. Gary Carver Shana Zimnoch, SCIENCE AND Herbert F. Darling, Jr. Gifts and Records Specialist TECHNOLOGY CHAIR : Hugh Irwin Dr. Brian C. McCarthy, OH MEADOWVIEW Dr. William G. Lord Eric Jenkins, PROMOTION AND Dr. William L. MacDonald Technical Coordinator At The American Chestnut Foundation, OUTREACH CHAIR : Glen Rea we strive for accuracy in all of our Catherine Mayes, VA Dan McKinnon, Rufin Van Bossuyt Seed Orchard Supervisor publications. We regret any errors or SECRETARY: Richard Will Jim Tolton, Barbara Tormoehlen, IN omissions and appreciate those who Farm Maintenance Technician bring them to our attention. In the TREASURER: CHIEF SCIENTIST EMERITUS Dr. Frederick V. Hebard Emily Watson, fall 2017 issue of Chestnut, we have Steve Barilovits III, NC Research Technician corrected the following information: SENIOR SCIENCE ADVISOR: HONORARY DIRECTORS Brandon Yañez, Dr. Kim Steiner, PA President Jimmy Carter Research Technician • W e mistakenly omitted a quote by LEGAL COUNSEL: Dr. Richard A. Jaynes VA Chapter member Gail Olson in the Donald C. Willeke, Esq., MN REGIONAL SCIENCE “Remembering Stacey Levin” article PRESIDENT & CEO: Mrs. Mary Belle Price COORDINATORS from the 2017 fall issue of Chestnut: Lisa Thomson Dr. Peter H. Raven Sara Fitzsimmons, “My favorite memory of Stacey has Dr. Philip A. Rutter North Central, and nothing to do with chestnuts but BOARD OF DIRECTORS Director of Restoration STAFF everything to do with her courage Yurij Bihun, VT/NH Michael French, that I greatly admired. When Stacey Dr. Hill Craddock, TN ASHEVILLE Forester Lisa Thomson, President & CEO knew her hair would be falling out William Jay Cude, TN Kendra Collins, New England from chemo, she showed up at our Dr. Carolyn Howes Keiffer, OH Betsy Gamber, Jack LaMonica, VA Vice President of Operations Ben Jarrett, home with it cut in a Mohawk and Southern Lewis Lobdell, PA Judy Antaramian, dyed blue. I loved that about her and Membership Coordinator Thomas Saielli, will miss her energy, her spirit and her Kathleen Marmet, VA Samantha Bowers, Grants Manager Mid-Atlantic humor. I'm reminded of a quote: “The Dr. Gregory Miller, OH Devil whispered, "You can't withstand David W. Morris, AL Cherin Marmon-Saxe, EDITORIAL Executive Coordinator the storm." The warrior replied "I AM Allen Nichols, NY DESIGN & LAYOUT: Lisa Alford the storm." I remember Stacey as a Z. Cartter Patten, TN Heather Nelson, Controller warrior.” We apologize for this omission. Dr. Jean Romero-Severson, IN David Kaufman-Moore, Donor CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: Bradford Stanback, NC Relations Manager Emily Nowels Bruce Wakeland, IN Jules Smith, Chestnut Editor John Wenderoth, DE and Social Media Specialist 2 ~ A Benefit to Members NEWS FROM TACF Those Pesky Voles WHAT THEY DO TO CHESTNUT TREES AND HOW TO FIGHT THEM By Paul Sisco, Carolinas Chapter and Sara Fitzsimmons, Director of Restoration Ever had a small chestnut tree die for no apparent reason; tug on it, and have it come right up from the ground missing its root system? Or see a tree leaning? Or notice that bark is missing around the base of one or more of your trees? If so, you’ve probably got a vole problem. The Journal of The American Chestnut Foundation ~ 3 NEWS FROM TACF What are voles? For one thing, Voles are prolific. They put rabbits to snowfall years. When all else fails, the they are not moles. Moles are small shame. Since they multiply quickly best method is toxic vengeance. furry critters with pointed noses with several generations per year, it is There are several toxicants available that eat insects and earthworms. important to battle them proactively. for vole control, but use them wisely Moles are meat-eaters. Voles are The first way to potentially prevent and be sure to check with your local small furry critters with blunt noses vole damage is with good vegetation extension agent about their use. These that eat plants, including grass, control. Voles generally prefer to stay chemicals are not specific to voles roots, and (unfortunately) chestnut hidden under lots of grass. If you and can lead to widespread collateral trees. Voles are vegetarians. remove the grass via herbicide sprays damage. For that reason, the best or keep the grass very, very short, this In the eastern US, we are usually method for applying these toxicants is leaves many voles visible to birds of dealing with one of two vole in bait stations where only burrowing prey and other predators. Another species, the Meadow Vole (Microtus creatures are likely to go and then method is to exclude them from the pennsylvanicus [Ord]) or the Pine stay. For about $5 a piece, one can tree via protective cages or tubes. Vole (Microtus pinetorum [LeConte]). fashion a t-shaped bait station out of Meadow voles are larger with longer Unfortunately, these methods are PVC pipe. By placing several of these tails and big eyes, while pine voles not foolproof. Pine voles can tunnel near vole runs, one is likely to have the are smaller with short tails and very under barriers to the depth of a foot. voles enter the trap, take the lethal small eyes. Meadow voles are poor Some vegetation control methods bait, and stay underground to perish. tunnelers. They often follow mole such as mulch or landscape fabric Voles often do their worst damage tunnels along the soil surface.