首页>
美国政府科技报告
>Establishing American Chestnut Test Orchards on two TNARNG Installations: Contributing to the Efforts to Restore an Ecological and Cultural Giant to the Forest Ecosystems of the Eastern United States
【24h】
Establishing American Chestnut Test Orchards on two TNARNG Installations: Contributing to the Efforts to Restore an Ecological and Cultural Giant to the Forest Ecosystems of the Eastern United States
After attending a presentation in November 2006 on the American chestnut breeding program, led by the president of the Tennessee chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), personnel from the Environmental Branch (ENV) of the Tennessee Army National Guard (TNARNG) began looking for ways that the TNARNG could contribute to the restoration effort. In the following months, Janie Becker, a biologist for the TNARNG, attended local TACF meetings, made contacts with area chestnut growers, and began to work out the logistics of establishing American chestnut backcross orchards on TNARNG properties. One of the most essential resources needed for the backcross program is land for the seed orchards where the hybrid chestnuts can be grown. The Tennessee Army National Guard (TNARNG) has small areas on its training sites that are not actively used for military training, and so a cooperative agreement was developed with the American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) to establish American chestnut seed orchards at two of its facilities. TNARNG provided the land and oversight of the project. TACF provided expertise and plant material (seeds and seedlings). As it was known that the cost of orchard set-up materials, maintenance supplies and fence construction would be significant, TNARNG applied for FY 2008 funding through the DoD Legacy Resource Management Program and was awarded funds in January 2008. The Legacy Program is dedicated to supporting efforts to preserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of DoD facilities, while maintaining military readiness. Because the orchards were to be direct seeded and chestnut seeds germinate and survive best when planted by early March, there was not enough time to prepare the sites for planting in the first year of Legacy funding. It was determined that orchard preparation would be conducted during the winter of 2008/2009 and that the orchards would be planted in the early spring of 2009.
展开▼
