The White Oak Resilience Act

The White Oak Resilience Act directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to implement a comprehensive white oak restoration effort across the United States. It establishes the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition , a voluntary collaborative group of federal, state, tribal, local, and private entities, to coordinate restoration and make policy recommendations on issues like policy impediments, regeneration scale, communication, research, landowner outreach, and nursery quality. The bill mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to establish five Forest Service pilot projects in national forests for white oak restoration, and the Secretary of the Interior to conduct an assessment of Interior lands followed by five pilot projects for restoration. Additionally, a non-regulatory White Oak and Upland Oak Habitat Regeneration Program will be established by the Secretary of Agriculture to identify, prioritize, and implement science-based restoration and conservation activities, including a voluntary grant and technical assistance program managed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. To support these efforts, the Secretary of Agriculture must develop a national strategy to address tree nursery shortages and may enter into agreements for white oak research on topics such as stress resistance, genetic diversity, and improved reforestation methods. A formal USDA initiative will also be established to re-establish and improve white oak forests, provide technical assistance to landowners, and enhance nursery stock, with most of the bill's authorities set to terminate seven years after enactment.