Forest, whiskey, and wildlife groups form a tri-state partnership to restore white oak.

White oak restoration on close to 10,000 acres in Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee has been made possible with over one million dollars of investment, including a $687,000 grant awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and significant match provided by Dendrifund, Jack Daniel’s, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, and participating state organizations. Alabama Forestry Foundation (AFF), Kentucky Forest Industries Association (KFIA), Kentucky Woodland Owners Association (KWOA), Tennessee Forestry Foundation (TFF), and the White Oak Initiative (WOI) will work collaboratively to engage family forest owners across the Cumberland Plateau region. Their work will raise awareness, develop understanding and relationships to support landowners with forest management activities that benefit the conservation of white oak forests and their associated upland hardwood species. 

For more information on this project, please contact Chris Erwin, Executive Vice President, Alabama Forestry Foundation, at cerwin@alaforestry.org. For more information on the White Oak Initiative across the range, please contact Jason Meyer, WOI Executive Director, at jason@whiteoakinitiative.org.