Summary
Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) has become a species of conservation emphasis for several state and federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations in Oregon and Washington. The tree is now found in a fraction of the area it was prior to Euro-American settlement. Cost-sharing programs are available for reestablishing the oak on the landscape, but prior to recent work by station scientists, planting recommendations were based on guidelines for other oak species in different regions of North America and Europe or on guesswork. Scientists with the Pacific Northwest Research Station have conducted several studies specific to Oregon white oak. They found that proper acorn storage, nursery practices, and container culture can improve root morphology and lead to improved success of seedlings in the field.
This information has been quickly adopted by many people planning regeneration programs. A summary publication on regenerating native oak in the Pacific Northwest has been widely distributed, with almost 2,000 copies requested the first 4 months after publication.
