S 476119th CongressIn Committee

White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025

Introduced: Feb 6, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025 directs the Department of Agriculture (specifically the Forest Service) and the Department of the Interior to undertake a coordinated, multi-agency effort to restore white oak forests and enhance their natural regeneration. Key elements include the creation of a voluntary White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to coordinate restoration activities, develop policy recommendations, fill research gaps, and improve nursery capacity; a set of 5 Forest Service pilot projects to restore white oak in national forests; an Interior-led assessment of “covered land” to identify white oak presence and restoration potential, followed by Interior pilot restoration projects; the establishment of a nonregulatory White Oak Habitat Regeneration Program to prioritize and implement restoration with grants and technical assistance; and a structured research and funding framework (including partnerships with land-grant universities, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) to advance genetics, seed banks, restoration techniques, and nursery capacity. The act emphasizes cross-agency coordination, voluntary approaches, and private funding, while aiming to increase resilience of white oak ecosystems in the face of pests, disease, and climate change.

Key Points

1White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition: Establishes a voluntary coalition of public, state, private, and NGO partners to coordinate restoration, advise on policy changes, identify research gaps, improve cross-boundary collaboration, and report to Congress. The coalition operates outside the Federal Advisory Committee Act framework and may receive private funding to support restoration projects.
2Forest Service pilot projects: Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to run five white oak restoration pilots in national forests (at least three in forests reserved or withdrawn from the public domain) and to use cooperative agreements to implement them.
3Interior lands assessment and pilots: Requires the Interior Secretary to assess “covered land” (lands under Interior jurisdiction, including National Wildlife Refuges and abandoned mine lands) for white oak presence and restoration potential, and to establish five pilot projects to restore and naturally regenerate white oak on those lands.
4White Oak Regeneration Program: Creates a nonregulatory program to identify, prioritize, and implement white oak restoration and habitat initiatives; includes a voluntary grant and technical assistance program administered through a cooperative agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with funds governed by the Foundation and the applicable act.
5Research, nurseries, and funding: Promotes extensive research and genetic work on white oaks via land-grant universities and NIFA, including seed banks and disease/drought resistance; requires a national strategy to expand nursery capacity for white oak seedlings; and encourages coordination with multiple federal and state partners to boost production, distribution, and deployment of white oak stock.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- White oak ecosystems and upland oak habitats across federal, state, tribal, and private lands; forest landowners and private land stewards; nurseries supplying white oak seedlings; the stave/timber industry reliant on white oak.Secondary group/area affected- Federal agencies (Forest Service, Interior agencies including FWS and NRCS), state forestry agencies, land-grant universities, and nonprofit conservation partners; near-term policy and administrative processes related to restoration, permitting, and cross-boundary collaboration.Additional impacts- Potential increase in collaboration and information sharing through the Coalition; expansion of funding streams (private funding via the Coalition, NFWF grants); emphasis on science-based restoration with measurable outcomes and no net gain in Federal FTEs; use of authorities like Good Neighbor Authority and stewardship contracting to implement projects; focus on resilience to climate change, pests, and disease.White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition: A voluntary, multi-sector group charged with coordinating efforts, not a traditional Federal advisory committee (exemption from FACA applies).Covered land: Lands under Interior’s jurisdiction, including refuges and abandoned mine lands.Nonregulatory program: The White Oak Habitat Regeneration Program is described as nonregulatory, prioritizing guidance, coordination, and voluntary actions rather than new binding rules.Funding and administration: Grants flow through a partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; Foundation manages funds and administers the program under applicable law.

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