White Oak Acorn Collections

I am leading a collaborative effort at the University of Kentucky to improve white oak for reforestation. We are trying to get white oak acorns from across the entire range of white oak = entire eastern 1/2 of the US so that we can sample the full range of genetic diversity in white oak.

Collections from the southern end of white oak’s geographic range such as Mississippi are important because they will have genetic material not found in the core part of the range, and they will provide important information about response to climate change as genetic material moves northward.

Members in the Master Naturalist programs in MO, VA and TN have been really great at helping me get white oak acorn collections. I was wondering if chapters in MS could also help?

We are trying to get collections from 1 or 2 trees per county per state where white oak grows naturally so all I need to find one person per county willing to collect from one tree. I need a one-gallon ziplock type bag filled at least 2/3 full of acorns from one tree.

If this is possible, I have attached a summary about the project and instructions for collecting acorns. Note all I need is someone's time and I'll send postage and a mailing label to get the acorns to me at the University of Kentucky.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.