Celebration of American Chestnut Tree

The Celebration will include displays by the Patrick County Historical Society, the Floyd County Historical Society, the American Chestnut Foundation, and a BRH display with American Chestnut wood and a Chestnut roasting pan. A panel discussion will feature the history of the local Chestnut trade by Ralph Lutts, Visiting Scholar from Virginia Tech, Tom Davis, Natural Resource Specialist Blue Ridge Parkway, and Tom Saeilli, Mid-Atlantic Science Coordinator, American Chestnut Foundation. A wide range of subjects including a description of efforts to restore the American Chestnut throughout its former range and information about the American Chestnuts along the Blue Ridge Parkway will be navigated. The panel discussion will be followed by a community conversation: My Family and the American Chestnut. At Noon, a hybrid (fungus resistant) chestnut tree will be planted on the BRH property. After lunch (on your own) please join back up for one of the concurrent afternoon field trips to the following local points of interest:

1-3 pm Concord Primitive Baptist Church Open House. American Chestnut interior.
Led by CPB Church congregation

1:30 pm Walk to view wild American Chestnuts growing on BRH property
Led by Wayne Kirkpatrick, Blue Ridge Heritage

1:30 pm Walk to view Asian Chestnuts planted in 1940 & 1950 in Rocky Knob Campground
Led by Ralph Lutts and Tom Davis