Blue Grass Army Depot plants White Oak trees in progeny testing site

RICHMOND, KY – The environmental office at Blue Grass Army Depot collaborated with the University of Kentucky-based White Oak Genetics and Tree Improvement Project (WOGTIP) to create a regional progeny test site for approximately two thousand White Oak seedlings on the federal installation.

The Nature Resource Specialist and Land Manager at Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD), Raysha Childers, has been in the position for approximately two years and enjoys her work.

“I love this job,” said Childers with gusto. “Providing folks with hunting and fishing opportunities, promoting conservation, working with farmers on agriculture leases, and getting to work in nature is such a rewarding thing to me.”

Childers heard about the White Oak Initiative (WOI) through her contacts with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife (KDFWR). The WOI is a national collaborative effort to ensure a never-ending presence of high-quality White Oaks throughout the eastern forests of the United States. Through this effort, scientists will also improve their knowledge about the genetic characteristics and potentials of the White Oak species.

“Tom Edwards [with KDFWR] and I met with Dr. Laura DeWald and several other subject matter experts onsite at the University of Kentucky,” said Childers. “They explained the project in further detail, and it seemed like something very interesting that we could pursue.”

Afterward, Edwards and Childers went through the proper channels and received approval from the BGAD Commander to pursue the project. Childers said they scouted BGAD for possible planting sites and settled on one piece of land that wasn’t in a plan for future building and tested to be fertile.

“The soil samples that came off this planting site proved promising,” said Childers. “We met with the military training coordinator to request permission to use approximately 2.5 acres of land, which is normally available for the National Guard to conduct training. He approved, and so did the BGAD Resource Policy and Planning Board (RPPB).”

The WOGTIP Tree Improvement Specialist at UK is currently Laura Dewald. Dewald was hired on a 5-year grant to develop and implement a tree improvement program using her knowledge of tree DNA in the field. Dewald said she is passionate about the WOI.

“I am a forester and have a passion for all native trees and forested ecosystems,” said Dewald. “As a forest geneticist, I apply my genetics knowledge and skills to a species in need. In this case, I have the opportunity to help the sustainability of White Oak.”

Dewald said she works vigorously for the White Oaks because they are the dominant species in many eastern forests which guarantees their importance to the health of the flora and fauna in these environments.

“White Oaks provides unique habitat for invertebrates and birds, and they also provide acorns which provides food to more than 100 other species,” said Dewald. “The food, shelter, and nutrient cycling the White Oak provides makes it a cornerstone in these ecosystems.”

White Oaks also have a significant economic value. Dewald said White Oak is one of the most important resources for paper production, lumber, and high-valued furniture. According to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, bourbon distilleries use White Oak for their barrels to add flavor during the aging process. In 2020 alone, Kentucky bourbon distilleries used approximately 2.1 million barrels. Unfortunately, the demand for White Oak is greater than the speed at which White Oak trees can grow, causing a possible long-term decrease in the region in the future.

Dewald said progeny sites like the one at BGAD will be studied for the next 15 years and will teach scientists which White Oak trees have the strongest genetics and best chance to survive to adulthood.

“The progeny test at the site provides a ‘living outdoor classroom’ to teach future generations about tree improvement and how forest genetics can help the sustainability of white oak,” said Dewald. “We are encouraging students from Berea College, Eastern Kentucky University, and UK to use the site for their undergraduate or graduate research projects in tree improvement. There are hundreds of research questions that can be asked based on the plant material at this site.”

Childers’ extended a special thanks to Tom Edwards and Marcia Schroder with KDFWR; City Light and Power who donated electric poles and labor for the fencing; and the BGAD Commander and RPPB for approving and facilitating the project.

Currently, BGAD is the only Army installation in Kentucky participating in WOGTIP. For more information, visit www.white-oak-genetics.ca.uky.edu.