Bill > HR2405

This bill establishes a comprehensive national strategy to restore and protect white oak forests across the United States through multiple coordinated initiatives. The bill creates the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition, a collaborative group of federal, state, tribal, and local governments and organizations tasked with coordinating white oak restoration efforts and making policy recommendations. The Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior will each establish 5 pilot projects in national forests and other federal lands to restore white oak through natural regeneration practices. Additionally, the bill mandates the creation of a White Oak and Upland Oak Habitat Regeneration Program, which will develop science-based restoration strategies, provide grants and technical assistance, and coordinate conservation activities. The legislation also requires the development of a national strategy to address tree nursery shortages, supports research into white oak genetics and forest management, and establishes a formal USDA initiative to re-establish and improve white oak forests. The bill includes provisions for collaboration with various stakeholders, technical assistance for landowners, and a focus on improving white oak forest health, resilience, and regeneration. These initiatives are time-limited, with most authorities expiring seven years after the Act's enactment.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2405/all-info