John and Jane Player donated 59 acres adjoining the Natchez Trace Parkway in Madison County to further walnut research in the state.

The Players also made the initial $1 million pledge during Mississippi State’s first capital campaign. The College of Forest Resources received the gift to create the Jane and John Player Endowment to support walnut research and technology development at Mississippi State. The fund was established for funding research and graduate instruction applicable to production of black walnut.

The Players have devoted considerable time, effort, and resources to the growing of walnut trees on their farm in Madison.

Mr. Player, a retired consulting geologist and a 1940 graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, began experimenting with walnut trees more than a decade ago as a hobby. He approached Mississippi State to further the project, he said, because of the university’s strong program in forestry.

“The foresight and generosity of the Players in establishing an endowment for walnut research has made possible work in conservation, improvement, and regeneration of this highly-valued native tree species,” said Emily B. Schultz, associate professor of forestry.

“Black walnut has received very little attention in the Deep South except for the harvest of highly-valued individual trees. Very little is known about its distribution, growth, and site requirements in Mississippi, but its potential for providing income opportunities for landowners is substantial,” she said.