Gardeners of Simsbury: American Chestnut Trees

Over 100 years ago, the eastern forests were forever changed when a blight fungus was introduced that devastated the American chestnut.  Learn how scientists over the years have tried to save the tree and how recent developments may be our best chance yet of restoring the once dominant tree to the forests of the east.  

Hear about the partnership between Simsbury Land Trust and The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) to establish an orchard of native CT chestnut trees in Simsbury.  These trees will be used to preserve the local genepool and used in the future to create disease resistant trees specifically for Connecticut. 

Speaker: Jack Swatt, President TACF Connecticut Chapter.  Jack has been a member of The American Chestnut Foundation since 1993.  He received a B.S. in Biological Sciences from UConn in 1983, an M.S. in Chemistry from CCSU in 1992 and graduated from the Albany Medical College Physician Assistant Program in 1996.  

Additional information about The American Chestnut Foundation and the CT chapter:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/cttacf

https://acf.org/ct/about-us/

Co-sponsored by the Simsbury Library and the Gardeners of Simsbury,