White Oak Initiative

06/16/2026

Upcoming registration is now open for the Kentucky Woodland Owners Short Course! This opportunity is designed for landowners who want to better understand and care for their woodland resources. The 2026 course blends 7 online sessions with an optional field day, offering practical guidance on topics including tree ID, the new My White Oak mobile app, and long-term woodland management. The course kicks off on June 2nd.

Link to register:

https://wosc.mgcafe.uky.edu/2026-wosc

06/09/2026

As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the oak (our national tree) stands as a living emblem of America’s origins, closely tied to the life and legacy of George Washington. From the carefully tended grounds of Mount Vernon—where a great 18th-century oak once reflected his passion for stewardship—to the storied trees of the Revolution, these oaks witnessed defining moments of unity and resolve. In New Jersey, troops gathered beneath ancient branches that sheltered Washington and Lafayette, while in Princeton another enduring oak overlooks a battlefield where courage turned the tide of history. Washington’s early surveying work even left its mark on a Virginia oak that helped define the land itself, and his respect for trees endured wherever he traveled, famously sparing a grand southern oak from removal. Together, these historic trees embody the strength, resilience, and continuity of the American spirit, making the oak a fitting symbol as the country commemorates 250 years of independence.

06/04/2026

Great day in the woods! We recently joined the Virginia Department of Forestry's Hardwood Assessment Tool Training and enjoyed a full day of learning how the state promotes healthy hardwood management.

If you’re a Virginia forestland owner, the Hardwood Initiative Cost‑Share Program may be a valuable resource for strengthening your forest's future: https://dof.virginia.gov/hardwood-initiative-cost-share-program

05/15/2026

Exciting news from our partners at University of Kentucky Research! If you're a woodland owner, take a moment to explore this new resource.

The My White Oak app gives landowners a quick way to assess their woodlands and get clear, research‑based guidance for sustaining white oak into the future.

05/13/2026

A big thank you to our partners at The National Wild Turkey Federation for their excellent write up on the recent Cumberland In‑Person Roundtable!

We’re so grateful to the Tennessee Forestry Association for hosting this event and to Dendrifund for their generous sponsorship.

Events like these help build the partnerships needed to ensure our upland oak forests thrive for generations to come!

The White Oak Initiative advocates and supports sustainable forest management with a focus on white oak regeneration, which is accomplished through convening, connecting and collaborating with stakeholders to increase the economic, social and ecological benefits of upland oak forests.

05/08/2026

WOI is thankful to be included in this recent article by Liz Partsch! We appreciate her dedication to family forest owners and her focus on the importance of active forest stewardship.

A new partnership is breathing life back into former coal mines in Appalachia. Non-profit Bosland Growth, with support from Suntory Global Spirits, is reclaiming strip-mined land in West Virginia and Pennsylvania by planting thousands of native trees. The project focuses on the white oak—a species critical for wildlife and the bourbon industry—which is currently struggling to regenerate.

05/07/2026

Happening tomorrow, May 8 at 12 PM (ET)!

🌳 Next up in the Open Canopy Webinar Series, Dr. Dan Dey will present "Managing Light in Oak Forests, Woodlands, and Savannas: Concepts and Tools for Managers."

Dr. Dey, a retired Research Forester & Science Advisor with the USDA Forest Service, will share practical insights and tools for managing light to support healthy oak ecosystems.

🔗 Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NJnWmL10Sn2_FAtcJ_FQPw

04/09/2026

Congratulations to Portia and Jerry Brown for being recognized as 2025 Tree Farmers of the Year at the Kentucky Forest Industries Association Annual Meeting.
Kentucky Forest Industries Association

03/18/2026

Last week lead sponsor Dendrifund, co‑sponsors Independent Stave Company - ISCO and Copper Mule Distillery, and hosts MU Extension and Paul Haggemann Family Forest brought together partners from across the Ozarks Highlands for the WOI in-person roundtable and field day designed for on‑the‑ground engagement.

The result? An incredible showing of leadership:
24 forestry and forest‑industry professionals representing 15 organizations, 4 states, and 6 landscapes.

✅ 77.8% actively engaged throughout the meeting

✅ 81.2% rated the event “Extremely valuable”

✅ 100% want to stay involved and continue the work

Together, participants advanced oak management practices, strengthened collaboration across sectors, and elevated the impactful work already happening on the ground.

This is exactly the kind of momentum WOI exists to build. As we carry this progress forward, continued partnership with leaders like these is what allows us to connect more practitioners, strengthen implementation, and sustain upland oak landscapes for the long term.

Sincere thanks to our funding, amplifying, and community partners for their leadership, commitment, and belief in what’s possible when the right people come together. 🌱

Click to learn more about WOI Events -
https://www.whiteoakinitiative.org/events

Other organizations represented -

extension



Missouri Consulting Foresters Association
/ Pioneer Forest
Central Hardwoods Joint Venture

02/13/2026

We’re deeply grateful for Jason Meyer's leadership in building a strong foundation, expanding partnerships, and advancing white oak conservation across the region. Our mission and momentum remain strong as we look ahead to our next chapter, with details about a national search for new leadership coming soon.

Under his leadership, the organization established a strong foundation, expanded key partnerships, and advanced critical work to support white oak conservation across the region.