April 15, 2024 —Oberlin, OH (April 8, 2024) — Hundreds of conservation organizations, universities, government agencies, businesses and individuals are working to restore the “functionally extinct” American chestnut tree. Add Kendal at Oberlin and the John Bartram Arboretum to that list.
Thanks to a $1,500 grant from the Ohio Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF), Kendal has organized two events for Arbor Day 2024 to bring attention to the challenges of restoring this once prolific hardwood tree.
A 2023 highly acclaimed documentary “Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut” will be shown April 16 at 7:15 p.m. in Heiser Auditorium.
A daylong program on April 23 begins with a 10:00 a.m. talk by Dr. Greg Miller, past president and current board member of the Northern Nut Growers Association and expert on chestnut growing and breeding.
At 1:00 p.m. Miller and Kendal Horticulturist Rachel Duncan will lead a chestnut walk on Wildflower Hill, where Kendal’s six chestnuts are located, followed by a planting of a one-foot sapling. In the coming weeks two more chestnut saplings will be planted.
All Arbor Day events are open to the public.
It’s no surprise that Kendal residents and staff are involved in this major conservation effort. The campus’ 110+ acres has been designated as The John Bartram Arboretum at Kendal at Oberlin, accredited as a Level II facility by ArbNet. It is also recognized as a Tree Campus Healthcare facility by the Arbor Day Foundation.
About Kendal at Oberlin
Kendal at Oberlin is a vibrant, diverse, inclusive, and caring nonprofit life plan community serving older adults in northeast Ohio. Located about one mile from Oberlin College and Conservatory, and about a 40-minute drive from downtown Cleveland, the community offers a resident-led lifestyle with access to music, art, and lifelong learning. Kendal at Oberlin is an affiliate of the Kendal System, offering values-driven services in the Quaker tradition.