\u00a0Partnership Recognition –\u00a0<\/p>\n
National Forests in Alabama <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n White Oak Restoration <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Release Date:\u00a0Mar 17, 2023<\/span><\/p>\n Public Affairs Specialist: Dawn Suiter (Double Springs, AL<\/span><\/strong>) According to Bankhead National Forest District Ranger Andy To remedy the lack of hardwoods in the area, the district team The project involves extensive research, planning, and patience The team plans to revisit the one and two-year-old seedlings in We appreciate the collaboration of\u00a0Wild Alabama<\/span><\/a>, the University of Tennessee Forest Service Photo:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0pictured from left to right
\nemployees were recognized by the USDA Southern Research Station Director for
\ntheir outstanding collaboration to implement a white oak restoration project in
\nthe Bankhead National Forest. Recipients for the \u201cPartnership Award\u201d were Callie
\nSchweitzer, Stacy Clark, Ryan Sisk, Pat Curtin, Jason Harris (AL – District
\nSilviculturist), Andy Scott (AL -Bankhead NF District Ranger), Scott
\nSchlarbaum, Alison Mains, John Johnson, Margaret Johnson, Janice Barrett, Jason
\nRodrigue, Marcus Warwell, and Eugene Brooks (NFs in Alabama Silviculturist). \u201cE<\/i>xperts
\nfrom the Southern Region, the Bankhead National Forest, the University of
\nTennessee, and Wild Alabama developed a long-term science-management
\npartnership to implement a white oak restoration project for the first time in
\nAlabama national forest history and delivered research results to key
\naudiences. \u00a0We salute Bankhead District Ranger Andy Scott, District
\nSilviculturist Jason Harris and Forest Silviculturist Eugene Brooks, our
\nAlabama NF teammates, and others for this honor and historical moment.\u00a0
\n–Tammy<\/span><\/p>\n
\nResearch Project – News Article – National
\nForests in Alabama – News & Events (usda.gov)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
(224)334-5336
dawn.suiter@usda.gov<\/span><\/a>
www.fs.usda.gov\/alabama<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\nMarch 17, 2023\u2014An interdisciplinary team of foresters, researchers, and cooperators
\nfrom the USDA Forest Service, Nature Conservancy, and University of Tennessee –
\nTree Improvement Program (UTTIP) convened on Balls Mountain in the Bankhead
\nNational Forest for an historical event. They planted white oak seedlings for
\nthe first time in Alabama’s national forests. The collaboration promotes
\n“the desired future condition” of oak in the forest.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nScott, the project involves planting between 500 and 800 white oak seedlings.
\n“The area was planted in loblolly pine, which we determined was at risk of
\nSouthern Pine Beetle infestation, so the district developed a project in which
\nwe would remove the pine, but before harvesting it, recognized that we did not
\nhave enough advanced regeneration in oaks and hickories,” said Scott.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nreached out to others. “The goal was to ensure we had the necessary
\nwell-informed science, groups, and partnerships to make the project whole, said
\nJason Harris, silviculturist for the Bankhead National Forest. \u201cI
\ncontacted\u00a0Callie Schweitzer and Stacy Clark at the USDA Forest Service
\nSouthern Research Station and local communities through Wild Alabama. With
\ntheir assistance, and the help of local schools in the county, we collected
\nseveral thousand acorns to use for the tree planting project.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
\nto ensure success. “It is challenging to regenerate white oak back on the
\nlandscape. One of the ways we think we can get it back is through
\nplanting,” said Dr. Clark, research forester at the Forest Service
\nSouthern Research Station in Knoxville, TN. “White oak is a species that’s
\nextremely important for several reasons. It provides staves for barrels and
\ncooperages that help the distillery industry. It is also a great source for
\nwildlife. The acorns are highly palatable by wildlife and provide them with
\nnutrients and carbohydrates.”<\/span><\/p>\n
\na year to gather empirical data on factors affecting performance and
\ndevelopment, such as seedling size and age after outplanting.\u00a0White oak is considered to be an outstanding tree among
\nall trees and is widespread across eastern North America.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n–\u00a0Tree Improvement Program (UTTIP)<\/span><\/a>, Forest
\nService\u00a0Southern Research Station<\/span><\/a>, students, and
\nvolunteers with Citizen Science. For more information on the white oak tree
\nplanting project, please contact\u00a0Andy Scott, District Ranger\u00a0<\/span><\/a>at the
\nBankhead National Forest.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nis Dr. Callie Schweitzer, John Johnson, and Jason Harris<\/span><\/p>\n
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