One is the American Chestnut Foundation, that is almost at the "finish line" of breeding a 15/16 American 1/16 Chinese hybrid that is basically all-American but with a few Chinese genes for blight resistance, but will grow tall, fast, and strong like the C. dentata did.

The other is the American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation and is trying the same thing with pure American stock.

My goal isn't just trees to plant, but trees that can repopulate the woods of the eastern US with American Chestnut trees.

I hear there's also a program at some college in upstate New York but I dont have much info on it.

Does anyone know what's going on with these, and which one is most likely or most able to attempt planting these trees in a "wild" setting?

Folks from the ACF made a presentation at last spring's KNGA meeting, detailing progress they've made with some of their advanced back-crosses.
One point they made was that unless something changes, the results of their research and breeding programs will never be planted on public lands, 'cause the US Forest Service will only allow 100% native American chestnuts to be planted - and even the advanced back-crosses which are >94% American , don't qualify.
I love the ACCF's approach, and wish that their 'all-American' breeding program would prevail, but in all honesty, I suspect the ACF's breeding program is more likely to result in reliably blight-resistant seedlings.

I'm intrigued with the NY program - but the anti-GMO types won't go for them.

Why not have the ACCF and ACF work together? If the ACF wants to backcross to American trees, and the ACCF has some American trees that show at least some blight resistance, why not use those trees as the backcross material? Makes sense to me.

At the same time, for other genetic characteristics, there should be assurance that there is genetic diversity in all other aspects of the trees being produced.

In a nutshell (pun intended) the A.C.F. already IS using american chestnut trees that show some blight resistance, in their race to the finish line to develop a genuine 15/16 American / Chinese hybrid.

I believe they WILL be successful...but not within a decade or so.

But there are a LOT of politics, and frankly, COMPETITION, going on in this arena right now !
Any many of the key people of ACF and ACCF would probably try to quickly change the subject if my assertions were to be brought up to them !

Competition not only between these organizations, but also between the individual STATE offices that are often affiliated to the SAME national organization...essentially in competition for various types of grant $$ (to continue people's employment, of course) , and to be the "first one" out at some point to deliver the final breakthough to the MEDIA.

So... in some ways it's also a organizational and/or geographical "pride" thing, too.
That aspect is not all bad, in my opinion...so long as it inspires RESULTS !

In a similar vein, the butternight blight/canker disease which has been devastating native butternuts has already revealed the benefit of infusion of Oriental germplasm. Genetic testing in the last few years has revealed that some of the named variety 'butternuts', which have been commercially propagated for decades, are in actuality, hybrids of butternut with the Japanese walnut, J.ailantifolia or its budsport, the heartnut.

So...it may be, that in order for us to reintroduce these former denizens of the forest and have them reproduce reliably in the presence of these introduced pathogens, some non-native germplasm may be necessary, though the technological breakthrough of inserting resistance genes from other species may give a tremendous boost to speeding up the process.

The next question, though, is, can species like the American chestnut and butternut reclaim their former niche, which has since been occupied by other species since their trip to the brink of extinction?

I think the American Chestnut can, especially since oaks seem to be declining in number both due to oak decline, Sudden Oak Death, Oak Wilt, and others, and the displacement by Red Maples in many areas.

Castanea dentata grows fast enough that if done right, I do think it can reclaim at least some of its former niche...

Not sure about the butternut.

Is that based on what you are seeing in your area hairmetal4ever or is it from some sort of study that's been done? I ask, because I haven't heard of Oak being in decline, other than Northern California and Southern Oregon from SOD and South Texas from Oak Wilt.

Yes, out East species like Red Maple(Acer rubrum), Beech(Fagus grandifolia), Sugar Maple(A. saccharum), Basswood(Tilia americana), and historically American Chestnut(Castanea dentata), etc. are the climax species which eventually will shade out Oaks(or shade out any Oak seedlings), because they are all more shade tolerant than Oaks, but out West here in Kansas Oaks are one of the climax species, except where Sugar Maple has naturalized(although many claim they're native) which is a relatively small area. All of this is assuming no fires will sweep through, killing these more shade tolerant species and thus allowing the Oaks to regenerate and dominate the forest for a while longer.

No native Chestnuts here but the Asian species planted(Never seen an American Chestnut or hybrid with American planted here) are still flowering right now.

I wonder how earthworms introduced from Europe have effected the trees? Eventually, I'm sure that the species will find equilibrium, but I wonder if their effects on soil contributed to the decline in the health of the forests back in the late 70's early 80's when the gypsy moth went through.

With respect to genetics and natural selection, seems like the chinese chestnut genes would be the ones that become expressed. They were the blight resistant ones.

Good point about the earthworms. Most people assume that earthworms are a good thing - but mounting evidence suggests that they're NOT doing our eastern forests any favors.

Just what we need, woods with nothing but ailanthus and garlic mustard in them....

I think we are getting closer to its reintroduction. They have some 15/16 American/Chinese crosses, that from the ACF, and there is an effort to breed a pure American Chestnut with blight resistance, from the ACCF that seems to be yielding results.

I think they will start planting some of those 15/16 trees either this year or next year.

I'm going to contribute to both efforts, but my preference is for the purely American tree.