White Oak Initiative

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.

12/10/2025

If you work in forestry, conservation, restoration, or land management, this is a timely opportunity to deepen your understanding and connect with experts.

A rescheduled four-part webinar series from the U.S. Forest Service's Northern and Southern Research Stations: Promoting Productivity in Eastern Oak Ecosystems, part of the Rooted in Research series.

🗓 Select Tuesdays & Thursdays in January 2026
⏰ 10–11 a.m. ET (9–10 a.m. CT)
📚 Eligible for 1 continuing education credit per webinar (SAF, ISA, TWS)

In the eastern U.S., oak forests are foundational—supporting wildlife, local economies, and resilient landscapes. But pressures from fire exclusion, land-use shifts, and pests and pathogens mean that research-informed action is more important than ever. This series brings together leading scientists and natural resource professionals to explore the ecology, economics, and long-term sustainability challenges of eastern oak ecosystems—and the research-backed strategies we can use to address them.

🔗 Register and learn more:
https://research.fs.usda.gov/nrs/products/multimedia/webinars/oak-productivity?utm_source=MarketingCloud&utm_medium=email

11/24/2025

🎉 Bourbon lovers, this one’s for you!

Our partners at Sazerac Company are auctioning a rare E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel, and the winning bid will directly support the White Oak Initiative’s work to ensure healthy, sustainable white oak forests for generations to come. 🌳🪵

Why does this matter? Because every bottle of bourbon depends on new, charred white oak barrels. Protecting white oak is protecting bourbon’s future.

👉 The auction includes a private barrel selection at Buffalo Trace Distillery, personalized bottles, a VIP behind-the-scenes tour, and an overnight stay at Stagg Lodge for you and seven guests.

Bidding is open now through December 1 at 11:59PM ET.

Learn more and register to participate: legacydeforge.com/release

Let’s raise a glass to conservation—and to the partners helping make it possible. 🥃🌱

https://legacydeforge.com/release/eht-single-barrel-pick-support-the-white-oak-initiative

11/24/2025

🌳 Next Up in the Open Canopy Workshop Series 🌳

From Open Canopy to Open Markets: How Private-Land Economics Can Scale Woodland Restoration

Speaker: Laura Calandrella, Executive Director, Keeping Forests

🗓 December 5, 2025
🕛 12:00 PM ET

Join us as Laura Calandrella shares how market-based conservation and private-land economics can accelerate woodland restoration across the U.S. South. From catalyzing low-value wood product markets to piloting payment-for-ecosystem-services models, Laura brings a forward-looking perspective on how landowners can sustain—and scale—their forests.

🔗 Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GXgDDHTUSWqJdjxYx3Ap5g #/registration