AgEBB-MU CAFNR Extension

Green Horizons

Volume 25, Number 2
Spring 2021


The White Oak Initiative

Hank Stelzer, MU Extension

The White Oak Initiative works to ensure the long-term sustainability of America's white oak and the economic, social and conservation benefits derived from white oak dominated forests. While currently white oak growing stocks are sufficient to meet demand, forest monitoring, and long-term projections indicate problems in maintaining high-quality white oak regeneration.

White Oak Initiative logo

White oak is critical to many wildlife species, and to industries making forest products such as furniture, flooring, cabinetry, barrels for wine and spirits, as well as for recreational activities like hunting which generates billions of dollars to local economies throughout the white oak region.

The White Oak Initiative is composed of white oak dependent or interested industries, trade associations, conservation organizations, agencies, universities, and non-profits working to ensure the long-term sustainability of America's white oak and contributing to the conservation of white oak and white oakdominated forests.

Meeting the Challenge

Without action, our white oak forests will disappear within a generation with significant impacts on wildlife, forest ecosystems and timber supplies. Research shows that while the existing white oak stocks are sufficient for the near future demand (10-20 years), there are clear indications of long-term sustainability problems (Figure 1).

Graph: Potential 50-yr Demographic Change Age Classes 51 to 100 Years

White oak faces many challenges, namely:

How the Initiative Works forests.

Over the years, many individuals, businesses, and organizations have been worked to support white oak. The vision of the Initiative is to take this fragmented support to the next level through a coordinated and large-scale response across multiple states, interests and industries, a truly comprehensive effort to ensure the long-term sustainability of the species. To date, the Initiative is comprised of private landowners, universities, state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, trade associations, and forest industries including wine/spirits, flooring, cooperage, and timber.

The White Oak Initiative is designed to actively create and champion activities to conserve our white oak forests throughout the white oak range. Initiative actions include:

The initiative is supported by two coordinated USFS landscape scale restoration (LSR) grants and significant private and state financial contributions. Staff from the American Forest Foundation and the University of Kentucky are directly advancing the work of the White Oak Initiative.

For more information or to get involved, please contact Melissa Moeller, White Oak Initiative Director at mmoeller@forestfoundation.org and visit the Initiative's website at https://www.whiteoakinitiative.org/.

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