White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition

(a) In general There is established a coalition, to be known as the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition (referred to in this section as the Coalition)— (1) as a voluntary collaborative group of Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments and private and nongovernmental organizations the purpose of which is to carry out the duties described in subsection (b); and (2) in accordance with the charter entitled White Oak Initiative Coalition Charter adopted by the White Oak Initiative Board of Directors on March 21, 2023 (or a successor charter). (b) Duties In addition to the duties specified in the charter referred to in subsection (a)(2), the duties of the Coalition are— (1) to coordinate Federal, State, Tribal, local, private, and nongovernmental activities for the restoration of white oak trees in the United States; and (2) to make program and policy recommendations, consistent with applicable forest management plans, with respect to— (A) changes necessary to address Federal and State policies that impede activities to improve the health, resiliency, and natural regeneration of white oak trees; (B) adopting or modifying Federal and State policies to increase the pace and scale of white oak regeneration and the resiliency of white oak trees; (C) options to enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration among forest land owners, particularly with respect to cross-boundary projects, to improve the health, resiliency, and natural regeneration of white oak trees; (D) research gaps that should be addressed to improve the best available science on white oaks; (E) outreach to forest landowners the land of which possesses white oak trees or white oak regeneration potential, as determined by the Coalition; and (F) options and policies necessary to improve the quality and quantity of white oak trees in tree nurseries. (c) Administrative, staffing, and technical support The Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior shall make available to the Coalition such personnel for administrative support, technical services, and the development and dissemination of educational materials as those Secretaries determine to be necessary to carry out this section. (d) Private funding Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for that purpose, the Secretary may make funds available to the Coalition to carry out this section from the account established pursuant to section 1241(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(f)).

(a) In general There is established a coalition, to be known as the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition (referred to in this section as the Coalition)— (1) as a voluntary collaborative group of Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments and private and nongovernmental organizations the purpose of which is to carry out the duties described in subsection (b); and (2) in accordance with the charter entitled White Oak Initiative Coalition Charter adopted by the White Oak Initiative Board of Directors on March 21, 2023 (or a successor charter). (b) Duties In addition to the duties specified in the charter referred to in subsection (a)(2), the duties of the Coalition are— (1) to coordinate Federal, State, Tribal, local, private, and nongovernmental activities for the restoration of white oak trees in the United States; and (2) to make program and policy recommendations, consistent with applicable forest management plans, with respect to— (A) changes necessary to address Federal and State policies that impede activities to improve the health, resiliency, and natural regeneration of white oak trees; (B) adopting or modifying Federal and State policies to increase the pace and scale of white oak regeneration and the resiliency of white oak trees; (C) options to enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration among forest land owners, particularly with respect to cross-boundary projects, to improve the health, resiliency, and natural regeneration of white oak trees; (D) research gaps that should be addressed to improve the best available science on white oaks; (E) outreach to forest landowners the land of which possesses white oak trees or white oak regeneration potential, as determined by the Coalition; and (F) options and policies necessary to improve the quality and quantity of white oak trees in tree nurseries. (c) Administrative, staffing, and technical support The Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior shall make available to the Coalition such personnel for administrative support, technical services, and the development and dissemination of educational materials as those Secretaries determine to be necessary to carry out this section. (d) Private funding Subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for that purpose, the Secretary may make funds available to the Coalition to carry out this section from the account established pursuant to section 1241(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(f)).