White Oak Resiliency Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]
Introduced
Summary
Coordinated, science-driven restoration of white oak ecosystems. This bill would create a multi-agency program and a public-private Coalition to speed white oak regeneration, expand nursery capacity, and fund research, pilots, and voluntary grants.
Show full summary
- Private and tribal landowners would get technical assistance and access to voluntary grants, with NRCS standing up an initiative to support on-the-ground restoration and natural regeneration.
- Federal land managers would run targeted pilots: the Forest Service would establish 5 projects on national forests and the Department of the Interior would assess DOI lands and set up 5 additional pilots to test restoration approaches across ownership boundaries.
- Researchers, nurseries, and partners would be tapped through NIFA and land-grant collaborations to study genetics, seed supply, and resilience, and a national strategy to address nursery shortages must be produced within 1 year. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation would administer the voluntary grant program to foster public-private partnerships.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
NRCS technical help for landowners
If enacted, NRCS would start a white oak initiative to help private landowners re-establish and manage white oak forests. The initiative would provide technical assistance to support natural regeneration and improved forest management. This is voluntary help, not a guaranteed cash payment.
Federal white oak pilot projects
If enacted, the Interior Secretary must assess DOI-managed "covered lands" and report to Congress within 180 days. After that report, Interior would start five pilot restoration projects on those lands. The Forest Service would also run five national forest pilot projects, at least three on forests reserved or withdrawn from the public domain. Both agencies may use cooperative agreements to carry out the pilots.
White Oak restoration program and grants
If enacted, the Agriculture Secretary would set up a national White Oak and Upland Oak Habitat Regeneration Program within 180 days. The program would run voluntary grants and technical help and must use science-based planning without adding federal full-time staff. Grant-making could be run by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which would get an advance payment each fiscal year on October 1 and may invest funds for the program. The bill also creates a voluntary White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to advise and coordinate work and lets agencies use existing tools like good neighbor agreements and stewardship contracts.
White Oak research and nursery strategy
If enacted, the bill would fund research partnerships with land-grant colleges to study white oak genetics, seed banks, seedling performance, and resistance to pests, heat, and drought. NIFA and the Forest Service would work with eligible 1862, 1890, and 1994 land-grant institutions. Within one year the Agriculture Secretary must also produce a national nursery strategy to identify regional seedling shortages, needed seed supplies, and barriers to expanding nursery capacity.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. McConnell, Mitch [R-KY]
KY • R
Cosponsors
Mark Warner
VA • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Roger Wicker
MS • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Thomas Tillis
NC • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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