NASHVILLE – Tennessee residents are invited to participate in a statewide white oak acorn collection project to aid in white oak restoration across the state. Called the Tennessee White Oak Initiative, it is a cooperative effort between the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF), TDF’s East Tennessee Nursery, the University of Tennessee Extension, and the Tennessee Forestry Association.

“White oaks are a critical element of Tennessee’s forests,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “The roles they play in our ecosystems and economy are invaluable, which is why it is so distressing to see the dropping rates of white oak regrowth in our forests. This initiative is one part of a large-scale effort to address this challenge.”

Each year, TDF’s East Tennessee Nursery in Polk County grows a large crop of white oak seedlings, which are critical to white oak restoration efforts statewide. Unfortunately, over the last few years, seed suppliers have been unable to meet the nursery’s seed volume needs. Now in its fourth year, the white oak acorn collection program is designed to supplement the nursery’s seed supply to boost seedling production. This type of wild seed collection also tends to yield higher quality, larger, and stronger seedlings.

Individuals, civic organizations, forestry groups, landowners, and youth organizations that would like to participate should visit www.tnforestry.com/white-oak-acorn-collection to begin the process. This year’s collection program will open on October 15, 2024, and end on November 15, 2024.

Interested parties may reach out to their local TDF area forester for assistance in identifying the correct tree species and information on how to collect, store, and deliver acorns for inclusion in the program. Find your local TDF area forester at www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests/staff.html.

The Division of Forestry protects and promotes the responsible use of forest resources in Tennessee. Focus areas include assisting landowners with a variety of services, providing quality tree seedlings, supporting forest health programs, collecting forest inventory data, assisting forest industries, and fighting wildland fires. Visit www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests for more information.