Bringing Back the

American Chestnut​​



On Wednesday, October 12, Mike Aucott, a retired researcher and now a board member of the American Chestnut Foundation, will be presenting the history and the current on-going effort to restore the American Chestnut to our landscape.​


Mike will touch on the importance and recent tragic history of this iconic tree, which once dominated Eastern forests but was virtually wiped out by an imported blight that appeared in the early 1900s. He will describe the challenges and describe the several varied strategies underway that are part of the effort to help propel the tree over what researchers have called "the cusp of extinction" and to re-establish it in the North American forest. Mike will include a simplified description of the genetics involved in developing a blight-resistant that can thrive in the forest environment. He will also discuss the importance of local efforts to find surviving American chestnuts, and offer keys to help identify this tree.  


The event is being held at the Shoppes at Castle Inn in Delaware Water Gap starting at 6:30PM where American Chestnut logs were used as the ceiling beams.


Anyone can attend for the requested donation of $5 per person, but members of the Friends and people under 18 are free! ​​


Mike Aucott holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Rutgers University.  He retired from his position as research scientist for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection in 2012.


Please join us!

Wednesday Oct. 12 2022​ at 6:30 PM

at the Shoppes at Castle Inn,​ 20 Delaware Ave, Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327


​Pre-register using the form below to let us know you will be there and so there will be no need to sign-in when you arrive (just a quick check-in). For those you need to pay, the exact amount is much appreciated! Pre-registration is not required, however.


If the Submit button is partially hidden on your screen, click any piece of it that you can and it will properly submit - or just drop us a Contact Us note, and we will register you from that.