On November 12, 2025, more than 100 American Chestnut stump sprouts were carefully cut and treated at Viles Arboretum to make room for the next phase of The American Chestnut Foundation's (TACF) restoration efforts. This marks a meaningful moment for a project that has been taking shape here for more than four decades.
The original trees in our American Chestnut Orchard were planted in 1981 as part of early efforts to develop blight-resistant American Chestnuts. Over the years, thousands of nuts were collected from these trees and used for
conservation and genetic preservation programs nationwide.
Although the orchard played an important role in the larger restoration story, the trees themselves were not resistant to chestnut blight. Over time, all of the original trunks died back, leaving behind what are known as stump sprouts.
What are Stump Sprouts?
Many trees, including American Chestnuts, can send up small shoots from their root systems after the main trunk dies. These stump sprouts grow quickly, putting out leaves to keep the root system alive. With careful pruning, one sprout can sometimes take over as a new trunk. But without ongoing care, the tree grows in a dense, multi0stemmed, shrubby form - very different from the tall, straight chestnuts that once dominated eastern forests.
The sprouts in the chestnut orchard were constantly trying to outgrow the blight. Every so often, they grew large enough to flower and produce a crop of chestnuts before their weakened stems snapped in a breeze or collapsed under the stress of disease.
Making Room for Hope
This fall, a decision was made to remove the old, blight-weakened sprouts and prepare the orchard for something new: the next generation of American Chestnut trees. These future plantings will be part of TACF's Recurrent Genomic Selection (RGS) program. A promising step forward in the effort to bring this iconic species back to the eastern forest landscape.
In simple terms, the RGS program uses the DNA profiles of individual trees to selectively breed for stronger resistance to the chestnut blight. It's an innovative approach grounded in decades of research, and we're excited for Viles Arboretum to continue playing a role in this important work.
If you'd like to learn more about the RGS program and how it works, click here to visit TACF's website.
