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Provisional Chapter of
The American Chestnut Foundation
Is Established In Georgia at First Board Meeting 
Marshal Case,
President and CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF)
headquartered in Bennington, Vermont, flew to Dalton to present a
provisional charter to the newly formed Georgia Chapter of the TACF
. The Georgia Chapter will become the 11th and
southern-most chapter of the foundation. Since its first
organizational meeting held in July at the Cohutta Lodge the
provisional chapter has acquired over 150 members in all parts of the
State from the Tennessee line south to Florida and from Savanna to
Alabama.
The mission and
goal of The American Chestnut Foundation is to restore the American
chestnut tree to its native range within the woodlands of the eastern
United States after the Chestnut Blight wiped out over 4 billion
trees. The American chestnut tree was an essential component of the
entire eastern US ecosystem. A late-flowering, reliable, and
productive tree, unaffected by seasonal frosts, it was the single
most important food source for a wide variety of wildlife from bears
to birds. Rural communities depended upon the annual nut harvest as a
cash crop to feed livestock. The chestnut lumber industry was a major
sector of rural economies. Chestnut wood is straight-grained and
easily worked, lightweight and highly rot-resistant, making it ideal
for fence posts, railroad ties, barn beams and home construction, as
well as for fine furniture and musical instruments.
The American
Chestnut Foundation depends primarily upon its members to support
research to develop a blight-resistant American chestnut tree. Over
5,000 members are helping to bring this King of the Forest back from
the brink of extinction by locating local species for crossbreeding
as well as by supporting the research being done to produce blight
resistant trees.
Former President Jimmy Carter
states, “I consider the breeding and restoration of blight-resistant
chestnut trees in the United States to be one of the most interesting
and important scientific projects of our time. I hope that everyone
will join Rosalynn and me in supporting this effort, and in
encouraging our friends to participate actively.”
Provisional Chapter Board
and Members (L-R)
Back Row:
Jim Hill (VP) of Calhoun, Don and Ruby (Sec) Mitchell and Dr. Don
Davis (President, Georgia Chapter) of Dalton, Mark Stallings of
Blairsville, David Keehn of Marietta, Marshal Case (CEO of TACF,
Vermont)
Middle Row: Dianne Smith (Tres.), Mary Belle Price (Honorary Board
Member) both from Dalton
Front Row: Tom Pachinger of Rome, Carolyn Hill of Calhoun,
Jerry Smith of Dalton |
