| Jefferson's Birthday Tree Planting Events |
JEFFERSON’S BIRTHDAY PRESENT- CHESTNUTS BACK ON HIS PLANTATIONS
Virginia Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation
Helps Plant Chestnut Trees at Monticello and Poplar Forest
Homes of Thomas Jefferson, Sunday, April 13
Charlottesville and Forest, VA – Virginia Chapter Members joined Jay Mills, Vice Chair for Development of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) in planting blight resistant trees from TACF’s backcross breeding program at two historic Virginia homes of Thomas Jefferson: Monticello near Charlottesville and Poplar Forest near Lynchburg.
Mills turned delivered a 7 foot seedling from TACF’s Meadowview Research Farm to Monticello’s Horticultural Director Peter Hatch for replanting on the east lawn at Monticello to kickoff the plantsman and President’s 265th birthday celebration, Sunday April 13.
The tree planted at Monticello is the first selected B3FC3 tree released from the Meadowview Research Farm. One of its original parents is Chinese, said Mills, a subspecies that co-evolved with the fungal blight that devastated American trees without immunity. Because resistance is a recessive trait, it has taken TACF researchers almost 20 years and 6 generations of trees bred back to different American survivors to select those few with the desired double dominance and American characteristics.
Mills pointed out that the three native American parents of the vigorous 7-foot seedling came from different areas of Virginia.
The mature trees surrounding Jefferson’s ‘little mountain’ were a draw to visitors of his own day. And above the property on Mt. Alto, said Peter Hatch, Monticello’s Horticultural Director, Jefferson had chestnut cut for fences, building timbers, and charcoal for use in forge and kitchen.
Dan Jordan, President of the Jefferson Foundation, expressed pleasure that Monticello could participate in restoring the forest of Jefferson’s time, and invited guests to share in the day-long celebrations.
Later the same day Mills delivered three American chestnut backcross trees to Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, a lovely mini Monticello retreat near Lynchburg. Most of the thirty people assembled for a slide presentation by VATACF vice President for Education Kathy Marmet braved a brisk breeze to join in the planting. Poplar Forest Director of Archeology and Landscapes Jack Gary selected the hilltop planting location as a vantage point for enjoying the view of Jefferson’s home and the surrounding country.
George Ramsey, Chairman, and Lynn Beebe, President of the Poplar Forrest Foundation and Virginia Chapter of TACF Board Member Wayne Bowman joined in the ceremony. Paul Abbott, who is both a TACF member and a volunteer at Poplar Forest, facilitated the initial contacts that lead to the planting.
