MU Extension, MDC partner to offer free white oaks

University of Missouri Extension has partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation on a unique program to establish white oak seed orchards on private land. These orchards are intended to provide a steady supply of white oak acorns from trees of known quality and growth characteristics, says Brian Schweiss, MU Extension specialist in sustainable forestry.

 

Interested landowners can receive 50 white oak seedlings after completing a three-part webinar series. Landowners are expected to plant the seedlings on property they control in a plantation arrangement. After planting, landowners must commit to caring for the trees and monitor their growth and survival, says Schweiss.

 

Care would include initial site preparation, planting, and controlling weeds for five years. These topics will be covered in the webinar series in greater detail. Landowners will need a minimum of 5,000 square feet which is sufficient for 50 trees at the 10x10 foot spacing.Up to a half-acre open area is desired to ensure seedlings will not be encroached upon or shaded by trees or adjacent forests. 

 

In addition to the technical aspects of planting and growing seedlings, the webinar series covers the importance of white oak to Missouri’s economy and wildlife that rely on this iconic species. Mike Fiaoni, George O. White Nursery Manager will discuss how the Missouri Department of Conservation grows 2.25 million seedlings annually at the nursery and distributes them to the public. While the webinar is open to anyone interested in white oak, the trees can only go to Missouri planting sites.

 

In time, landowners will need to thin the plantation to keep the best 16 trees. “Ultimately, we hope landowners collect seed from the best trees to sell to the state nursery for future seedling production. While this may take 15 to 20 years, it is critical we think long range to ensure quality oaks are available for planting,” says Brian Schweiss, Sustainable Forestry Specialist with MU Extension. While this is the goal, trees do become the property of the landowner after the trees are delivered. MU staff does request access to sites to document the progress of plantings, but this is only with landowner permission.

 

The webinar series is scheduled for three consecutive Wednesdays beginning Jan. 15 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. To register, go to https://extension.missouri.edu/events/white-oak-garden-plot or you may contact Schweiss at brian.schweiss@muextension.edu. 

 

The program is free, and the 50 seedlings will be provided to the first 20 registrants with suitable planting sites for white oak and who attend all three sessions.