White Oak Initiative

Sometimes, hope is a matter of a piñon.

After our forest health specialist found that tree mortality tripled in 2025, our foresters are finding that some beetle-killed piñon pines are acting as nurseries for a new generation of trees.

These beetle-killed trees provide shade and a windbreak, offering important microclimates where seedlings can regenerate.

Similar regeneration was seen after an early 2000s mortality event. In those areas, a new generation of trees has been growing up for decades now.

Such high mortality can be overwhelming, but it's not all doom and gloom. That dead tree might be a spot of hope, after all.

Please join us in welcoming Sara Anrrich as the new Executive Director of the White Oak Initiative!

Sara brings more than 15 years of experience advancing forest conservation, building strategic partnerships, and delivering meaningful outcomes across nonprofit, private, and federal sectors. Her leadership comes at an exciting time as the White Oak Initiative begins implementing its 2026–2029 Strategic Plan, Growing with Purpose, focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability of white oak forests.

A respected conservation leader and collaborative partner, Sara has dedicated her career to supporting working forests and the people who care for them. We are thrilled to have her guiding the Initiative into its next chapter and look forward to the impact we will achieve together.

Please join us in congratulating Sara on this new role and welcoming her to the White Oak Initiative community!

Link to press release 👉 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-oak-initiative-appoints-sara-anrrich-as-executive-director-302814007.html?tc=eml_cleartime



Sazerac Company

White oak populations have a history of thriving under active management. The most impactful methods of active management are:

- Prescribed burning

Controlled fire management that clears a portion of forest and prompts regeneration from the remaining forest

- Midstory/understory removal

Allowing healthy young white oaks more sunlight and room to grow, leaving them with higher odds of reaching maturity

- Shelterwood establishment cut

Removing a fraction of tall shade trees (shelterwood), resulting in moderate shade ideal for white oak

- Crop tree release

Clearing room for high value healthy white oaks to expand their crown and grow to full maturity

- Group openings/gaps cuts

Removing groups of older trees, leaving moderate shade for improved white oak growth without removing all old trees

- Two-aged deferment cuts

Cutting some mature white oaks, leaving other mature white oaks, as well as young white oaks that have more years remaining to produce offspring

- Site preparation for regeneration

Removing competitors of white oaks, often before an additional method, such as shelterwood establishment cuts or group openings

- Afforestation

Planting a new forest where there is none, often with control of both competitor trees and wildlife inclined to eat white oaks

- Underplanting/enhancement planting

Planting white oaks in upland forests where white oaks are rare or absent, with the support of other methods on this list

- Scarification

Making openings in the seed coat surface of white oak acorns to increase germination and seedling establishment



Consider connecting with your local Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Forestry Agency, Conservation District, and/or extension office as well as non-profits focused on forestry to learn how you can safely and effectively support active forest management in your area. Let’s help oak thrive as the U.S. national tree for the next 250 years!