[MassChestnutOrchards] MATACF 2008 Annual Meeting Draft Minutes

[Frank Howard]

Dear Yvonne, Thank you. Cordially, Frank P.S. I'll check with Anne  
Myers before next summer. When we were out of the country I think  
Anne suggested me as vice president to replace Gary.
On Jan 4, 2009, at 5:01 PM, Federowicz, Yvonne Marie wrote:

>
> Hi Frank,
>
> You are one of several people whose current terms expire next  
> autumn and who will be up against the same term limit issue that we  
> dealt with this year.  This year we discussed the issue with  
> regards to several people and decided that we would suspend those  
> limits for that group.
>
> Part of the problem is that we don't have a lot of potential new  
> Board members "waiting in the wings" - we have just been adding  
> many people in as new Board members once they showed enough  
> interest, could come to most meetings, etc.
>
> If we take all the people off whose term limits expire, we will  
> have at least a couple of years with a substantially smaller Board  
> since we don't seem to have a lot of potential replacements at this  
> time.
>
> The issue will need to be brought up again next summer though when  
> the 2009 Annual Meeting & Elections are being discussed.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: masschestnutorchards-bounces at masschestnut.org on behalf of  
> Frank Howard
> Sent: Sun 1/4/2009 3:07 PM
> To: masschestnutorchards at masschestnut.org
> Subject: Re: [MassChestnutOrchards] MATACF 2008 Annual Meeting  
> Draft Minutes
>
> Dear Yvonne and All, Jamie asked me if I was on the Board as MATACF
> was formed. I responded that I thought I was on the Board when Susan
> was first president and Gary was vice-president.  He informed me that
> I had therefore reached my term limit.
>
> I wish to abide by the rules for the long term benefit of the
> organization. New ideas and energies flow from new board members.
> I've seen this in other organizations. I'll plan to be a loyal member
> of MATACF, but not appeal for suspension of term limits.
>
>   Sincerely, Frank
> On Jan 3, 2009, at 10:10 PM, Federowicz, Yvonne Marie wrote:
>
>>
>> ********************************************************************* 
>> *
>> *
>> *
>> * MA - TACF Annual Meeting - Morning Business Meeting 11/22/08  
>> 10:20am
>> *
>> ********************************************************************* 
>> *
>> *
>>
>> Board Members Present: Kathy Desjardin, Yvonne Federowicz,
>> Charlotte Zampini, Rufin Van Bossuyt, Brad Smith, Jamie Donalds,
>> Mike Novack, Guy Shepard, Denis Melican, Lois Breault-Melican
>>
>> Others present: Paul Sisco, Kendra Gurney
>>
>> (Other Board Members arrived somewhat later)
>>
>> **************************************
>> * Modifications to Bylaws & Elections
>> *
>> * Four items to be voted on (Motions)
>> **************************************
>>
>> 1. Amendment to Bylaws: "Board votes to amend 4.2 of Bylaws by
>> adding the following phrase to the last sentence, 'provided that
>> the Board for good cause may suspend the term limits for specific
>> board members.' "
>>
>> 2. Suspend term limits for the re-election of the following Board
>> members : Richard Hoffman, Gary Jacob, Mike Meixsell, Brad Smith
>>
>> 3. Vote to expand board size by 1 to  20
>>
>> 4. Vote on Slate of Director positions that are expiring as of
>> 1/1/2009 as well as officers.
>>
>> Term limits became an issue this year: several of our Board members
>> would have been beyond the original limit.
>>
>> ***
>>
>> Motion #1:
>> Rufin proposed motion #1, Brad seconded
>> Passed unanimously
>>
>> Motion #2: Suspending term limits for all on the list who
>> Motion: Charlotte, Seconded Yvonne
>> Passed unanimously
>>
>> Motion #3: Board increased by 1 to size of 20
>> Brad motioned, Mike seconded
>>
>> (4) Elections - unanimously re-elected all on the ballot.
>>
>>
>> BALLOT:
>>
>>      Ballot for MATACF Board of Directors and Officers - includes
>> all current nominations and potential re-elections
>>
>>     Eight current Directors have terms ending 12/31/2008:
>>
>>     Jamie Donalds
>>     Richard Hoffman
>>     Gary Jacob
>>     Mike Meixsell
>>     Guy Shepard
>>     Brad Smith
>>     Bruce Spencer
>>
>>      Two New Potential Directors have been Nominated:
>>
>>     John Meiklejohn
>>     Brian Clark
>>
>>      Officers up for re-election:
>>
>>     Jamie Donalds - President
>>     Yvonne Federowicz - Vice President
>>     Kathy Desjardin - Secretary
>>     Mike Novack - Treasurer
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>> -
>> -------------------------------------------
>>      Board  Members NOT up for re-election this year - terms
>> expiring 12/31/2009 (several will have term limit issue at that  
>> time):
>>
>>     Lois Breault-Melican
>>     Kathy Desjardin
>>     John Emery
>>     Yvonne Federowicz
>>     James Garland
>>     Frank Howard
>>     Denis Melican
>>     John Mirick
>>     Michael Novack
>>     Rufin Van Bossuyt
>>     Charlotte Zampini
>>
>>
>> Yvonne announced South Kingstown Land Trust & Master Gardeners new
>> orchard.
>>
>> business meeting adjourned  11:40
>>
>>
>> ****************************
>> * Annual Meeting - Afternoon
>> ****************************
>>
>>
>> Additional Board Members present: Frank Howard, Gary Jacobs, Bruce
>> Spencer, Rich Hoffman, Mike Meixsell
>>
>> Many new people - Kathy has list
>>
>> 25th National Meeting Summary
>>
>> Nut distribution: 1000 BC3F3 nuts from Meadowview - going to senior
>> members first
>> 5 nuts or 2 seedlings for $25
>>
>> CT Board Meeting: wondered who had joined early enough
>>
>> National office is moving from VT to Ashville; Ashville NC US
>> Forest Service Building
>>
>> Chinese chestnut trees: timber type trees that resist the blight
>> China has 3 spp; they saw seguinii and henryii - these were large,
>> forest-type - not shrubs at all; bigger than Mollissima which were
>> more orchard-type
>>
>> Castanea henryii is more adapted to southern China
>>
>> Sarah has found that specific combination of trees important for F1s
>>
>> Chapter Legacy Tree: why don't we sponsor one as a chapter?  Needs
>> $10K; we already have $1700 committed - can talk about now and in
>> January
>>
>> Kendra - the $10K might be flexible
>>
>> National membership is at over 5900 people
>>
>> We have 48 F1s at U. TN. - 95% germination rate
>> (another cross had 0)
>>
>> Chapter liability insurance: National insurance policy covers the
>> chapter board members, possibly our chapter activities
>>
>> TN is only paying $400/year  - we can talk about that in January
>>
>> Paul Sisco has resigned as SASC but has been voted on as a member
>> of the national board
>>
>> Rufin: National meeting was focused on celebrating 25 yrs of TACF
>>
>> U.S. mining reclamation - Office of Surface Mining (mountaintop
>> removal) - law was passed in 70s that recontouring required;
>> however trees wouldn't grow well - compacted
>>
>> Chestnuts being planted - advanced hybrids - growing about 2x as
>> fast as oaks in same areas
>>
>> Toured Ashland farms near Chattanooga; chefs created feast;
>> Dollywood has chestnut plantation (Dolly Pardons)
>>
>> Phil Rudders from MN - first president of TACF
>>
>> Two days of Board meetings
>>
>> Upton, MA remembrance of chestnuts in 25th national program.
>> Karl.  Had joined foundation.
>> "I am 95 yrs old and I can remember picking up native chestnuts...
>> I can remember filing my pockets with the nuts on the way to
>> school... teacher caught me... (teacher took his chestnuts!)..".
>> railroad ties cut from blighted chestnut; made planks for bridges,
>> horse stalls, etc.
>>
>> Marshal Case is retiring but is staying on part-time as search
>> extending. Narrowed down now.
>>
>> *****************************************************
>> * Charlotte Zampini: Pollination and Orchards Report
>> *****************************************************
>>
>> Pollinations 2008
>> Quabbin 32 nuts
>> Exeter 108 nuts
>> Smithield 18 nuts
>> Sudbury 74 nuts
>>
>> New Orchards
>> Dartmouth, MA
>> Glocester, RI
>> Additions
>> Stockbridge
>> Westerly
>> Lancaster
>>
>> Number of lines:
>>
>> 19 "good" Clapper lines, plus 8 additional smaller lines; can add
>> additional genetic variation
>>
>> 21 good Graves lines, 5 additional small lines
>>
>> 1 Nanking line in ground and seeds for another small line
>>
>> For 2009 need at least one more Nanking line, and to plan
>> additional lines for new orchards (esp. RI)
>>
>> Not all orchards are doing well.
>>
>> Charlotte wants to organize teams to go through orchards and work
>> on existing
>>
>> Additional lines from new Chinese: Upton Chinese is in a few
>> orchards as F1s.
>>
>> Pruning, putting fertilizer pellets in, weeding, putting  
>> irrigation in
>>
>> Inoculations
>>
>> Wrentham MA done on June 19th, 2008 on its largest line
>> Team of 4 people optimal
>> about 3 orchards need to be inoculated next year
>>
>> Test Plantings
>>
>> Quabbin, MA - Bruce Spencer
>> re-introducing in forested areas
>>
>> Bruce & Rufin put in 142 nuts in areas that had been harvested.
>> Had dramatically different results.  Used different shelters.
>> Success was 80% in lowest locations near pine trees and with soil
>> moisture.  Up on hill with east slope - 30%.  South facing 8% -
>> even higher up.  Had a wet summer too.  On dry southern slope had 0
>> germination at top.  Sprouts all over place but moisture critical
>> for nuts.
>>
>> Paul Sisco asked if we used planting mix - answer no.
>> Kendra: soil compaction?  Bruce - no - slash left
>>
>> Bruce: seedlings - had very good results - had good root systems,
>> all planted on lower slopes.
>> Hasn't checked one other spot.
>>
>> Bridge grafting possible according to ? - Charlotte -
>>
>> Agrifos & Pentrabark - being tried in south - Kendra would like to
>> attempt using this
>> potassium phosphite
>>
>> Could help keep mother trees going
>>
>> Not extremely expensive - $75 for enough for a couple of large trees
>>
>> www.treehelp.com agrifos
>>
>> Joe James in south working on Ink disease resistance - "root rot" -
>> looking for lines with natural resistance
>>
>> We have 3 or 4 in our orchards that are highly resistance
>>
>> Jamie has a cross that is ink-resistant, will send nuts to Joe -
>> needs F2s
>>
>> Paul - looks like F2s have higher resistance to ink, works somewhat
>> like blight resistance
>>
>> 50 or 100 nuts spread across a couple of lines.
>>
>> Jamie:  Grass near trees really slowing growth - even with older
>> trees slows everything down.
>>
>> John Emery's orchards have excellent growth- lots of weeds - not
>> grass - John Meiklejohn plowed before starting his and doing very  
>> well
>>
>> Riverbend: in a state park, very visible - did a night planting, 25
>> or 50 seedlings went in
>>
>> LUNCH
>>
>> Tower Hill BC3 Orchard History
>>
>> MA-TACF's first "official" orchard
>>
>> New Orchard 2001 Internet was dialup,
>> John Trexler has been very supportive
>> Rufin, Tim, Anne, Cormiers had done work
>> Brad agreed to be manager
>>
>> Rototilled the rows with a large commercial machine
>> Limited space - 4' spacing between trees, 12' between rows
>>
>> Had a difficult time planting, wore people out
>>
>> No weed-free planting mix, grass grew up in everything
>>
>> After this, 3 people could plant more than 20 did in less than half
>> the time
>>
>> bamboo, bluex
>>
>> Tower Hill - also did watering
>> Put up nice signs, interpretive signage
>>
>> Kelley Americans were part of Tower Hill Plantings
>> Some died, some thrived '
>> year 1 - best were 12-18 in tall
>>
>> Trees in tubes were very spindly, learned that tubes needed to come
>> off 2nd year.  Tower Hill has very light deer pressure.
>>
>> Insufficient F1s, Fred sent some up from Meadowview.
>>
>> After 2 years realized that south end of orchard had poor growth,
>> so stopped trying to grow there.  Construction vehicles had been
>> parked in bad area.  Compacted.
>>
>> First 3 years need lots of watering unless rainy
>>
>> 2004 orchard stabilized about 80 trees of 144 original.
>>
>> Then natural blight started setting in.  Mysterious mutated leaves
>> on F1s.
>>
>> Deer seemed to love horse chestnut more than chestnut...
>>
>> 2006 natural blight started coming in
>>
>> By year 7 inoculated
>>
>> Inoculation help needed!
>>
>> Some trees look ok for a bit, then cankers got drastically worse in
>> fall
>>
>> ep155 very harsh on chestnuts,, took into November to look
>> extremely bad
>>
>> Future of TH: demonstration orchard; The Nuttery
>>
>> Pruning seemed to have no ill effects
>> Visibility raises interest but didn't appear to increase membership
>> drastically
>>
>> Do not replant in a "bad hole"
>>
>> Orchard managers should be psyhologically prepared to see all of
>> their bc3 trees die
>>
>> **********************
>> * Kendra's Report
>> **********************
>>
>>
>> Seed Orchards
>>
>> MA-TACF will be trying to get this going soon
>>
>> Kendra - NH native
>> Worked on chestnut restoration for her MS thesis, did cold
>> tolerance research, controlled pollinations
>>
>> Is now the New England Science Coordinator
>>
>> Science Coordinator provides sceintific support to chapters, link
>> between chapters and national
>>
>> Major areas: breeding orchards, pollinations, inoculations,
>> selections, seed orhards, data management, events coordination
>>
>> UVM providing office space
>>
>> MA/RI strengths:
>> pollinations
>> breeding orchards
>> sample ID
>> events coordination
>>
>> MA/RI foreign territory
>> inoculation
>> seed orchards
>> etc
>>
>> Inoculation:
>> Must be at least 1.5"diameter
>> larger is better,room for duplicated inoculation points
>> often variability in size due to material availability and replanting
>> Helpful if controls are large enough to be included
>>
>> Severity of Blight:
>> Likely see natural blight occurrence before inoculation time
>> Blight infection may slow growth of trees
>> Blight cankers may limit possibly inoculation points
>>
>> Case-by-case decisions
>>
>> Clear answers?
>>
>> Unfortunately, not really
>> Best to take on case-by-case basis
>> decision may require a field visit
>> Options include:
>> 	Inoculate when trees are smaller with only two points
>> 	Inoculate weak trees with weak fungus only
>> 	?
>>
>> Example from PA
>> Orchard with very bad natural blight
>> Growth further inhibited by deer browse
>> Decision to inoculate put off until trees reached appropriate size
>> Could only inoculate with weak strain, as basal cankers left no
>> place for stronger strain
>> Saving grace: same line planted elsewhere and selections taken from
>> different location
>>
>> Trees that are struggling anyway will have a difficult time
>> fighting blight
>>
>>
>> Canker Ratings
>> Look at EP155 and SG cankers on all trees
>> Rate based on size of each canker as a composite score
>> Of those showing acceptable resistance, also rate Americanness
>> Select best
>> Remove others
>>
>> Paul Sisco - if trees aren't blooming yet might as well wait
>> Since these will be pollen parents; if inoculate will slow down
>> path to blooming
>>
>> Not quite getting 1/8 because of Americanness
>>
>> Slide of canker size rating scheme
>> strong and weak blight cankers both small in best trees
>>
>> Takes a while for cankers to develop
>>
>> Time of flowering important- late flowering but depends on soil
>>
>> Seed Orchards
>>
>> What you need:
>> 1 acre per block, each block made up of about 20 plots
>> 150 trees/plot, 3000 trees per block
>> Final density ~20 trees/block
>> Orchard should remain for ~25-30 years
>> Agreement or management plan between cooperator and chapter may be
>> appropriate
>>
>> These get selected at about 1" diameters at base, but methods are
>> still under review
>>
>> Each plot is offspring of one line
>>
>> Fred has 9 blocks, thinks might get 2 good in 1 block and none in
>> another
>>
>> Need final density good for cross-pollination
>>
>> Time frame longer than breeding orchard
>>
>> Lines won't all be ready at same time so will need long-term
>>
>> Timing shouldn't be as much of an issue in terms of the blight
>> killing these final trees, they should be able to survive for quite
>> a while
>>
>> Conflicting opinions on how strong an agreement to get
>>
>> State MOUs may be ok if visible spot
>> Private land more risky
>> Might consider buying chapter land
>> Easements
>>
>> No national agreement template yet but we might want to draft
>> something about that
>>
>> 9 blocks total
>> at least one cooperator with 4-5 acres
>> experience and/or infrastructure key
>> may split rest into smaller orchards
>> one volunteer can handle a 1-block orchard
>> similar work load to breeding orchard
>> Must have COMMITTED orchard manager
>>
>> Irrigation system gets in way
>>
>> Recommendation is to water from a tank when necessary, having a
>> pump even better
>>
>> Going from 3000 trees to 20, irrigation systems difficult to work  
>> with
>> Are our soils so different that our trees need more than Meadowview?
>> Kendra says NH doing ok
>>
>> Possible collaborators:
>> DCR seems good start
>> Possibilities with NRCS in RI
>> May also try USFS, TNC, Universities, Forestry Societies, Land Trusts
>> May be old USFS seed orchards in MA, does anyone know more about
>> this?  Rex Mann (KY)
>> (not chestnut) - could ask Rex
>>
>> Search for grants - having partners helps
>>
>> National has an MOU with Forest Service
>>
>> Adding collaborators always helps getting grants
>>
>> Bruce says there is a state seed orchard in Sterling, MA
>>
>> No federal land in MA though
>>
>> **************************************
>> *
>> * Paul Sisco - Keynote Talk
>> *
>> **************************************
>>
>> Paul went to Princeton and majored in European History but did
>> biochemistry too
>> evolution was against law to be mentioned in TN  - his teacher did
>> anyway
>>
>> Was professor at NC State
>>
>> Charlie Burnham got Paul involved
>>
>> Paul was first regional coordinator
>>
>> No formulas - need to know what kind of soil -
>>
>> Love nitrogen - acid-loving
>>
>> Deer - use 4-foot wire fences around each - big - 100in circumference
>> also get buck rub
>>
>> $4-5 /cage  put on with releasable cable ties, easy to put on and
>> off; cuts a hole in bottom of each cage
>> Some fence entire orchard
>>
>>
>> Their one orchard has had almost all "good"-look after inoculated,
>> but after a couple more years differences have emerged
>>
>> Unraveling the Mysteries of chestnut DNA
>>
>> Genes for Blight Resistance - where, how many, do some Americans
>> have different ones
>>
>> Barriers to Recombination
>>
>> Differences between Chinese and American chromosomes
>>
>> Percent Chinese remaining in our releases
>>
>> Parentage - can determine using genetic markers
>>
>> Genetic Diversity
>>
>> Genetic fingerprinting
>>
>> Holy Grail:  identify and clone genes for resistance
>>
>> Europeans have 12 linkage groups on their chromosomes
>>
>> Paul was uncertain about B-E-F as sites for resistance genes
>>
>> Tried to line up markers from sative and oak with dentata
>>
>> Couldn't match one of them though
>>
>> Barriers to combination: Inversions and translocations
>>
>> Inversion:  area in 1 chromosome flips
>> Reciprocal translocation - piece of 1 chromosome pasted onto other
>> and vice versa
>>
>> In 2006 Reciprocal translocation tested - Paul had data indicating
>> but couldn't prove
>>
>>
>> Meiosis in Chinese-American crossing - get crossing pattern
>>
>> Visible in microscope photo Paul's associate took in actual meiosis
>>
>> a lot of meiotic products don't work
>>
>>
>>
>> Does it involve B & E that have resistance factors
>>
>> They are hoping that the resistance factors have both passed into
>> same offspring
>>
>> E and B are on different chromosomes according to their probe
>> results, using probes developed using related (oak and sativa)
>>
>> Fagaceae Project
>> Beech, Mollisima, dentata
>>
>> Making cDNA libraries
>>
>> Ethylene gene much higher in Chinese chestnut when blighted
>>
>> Oxidase gene neutralizes acids that blight produces
>>
>> Compare resistant BC3 to susceptible one and determine how they  
>> differ
>>
>> Compare different resistant BC3s and see what common Chinese is
>> left in all on each Chromosome
>>
>> Want to insert segment into a particular tree seed and see if it
>> confers resistance is best proof
>>
>> Seed orchards - don't want Chinese trees nearby
>>
>> More genetic variability in southern U.S. due to ice age
>>
>> A new sequencer available to National at Meadowview
>>
>> If can screen seed orchard choices, could nail resistance and
>> Americanness
>>
>> Paul has 2 articles in JTACF in 2006 - related
>>
>> The website is: Familytreedna.com
>>
>> mitrochondrial dna also
>>
>> The 7 daughters of Eve good book for women to read
>> 3:47 ended for orchard tour
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> MassChestnutOrchards at masschestnut.org
>> http://mrsgale.fates.org/mailman/listinfo/masschestnutorchards
>
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