Got a white oak in the yard or on the back forty? Tennessee wants your white oak acorns. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry is asking residents to help gather acorns through Nov. 15, 2026, as part of the statewide Tennessee White Oak Initiative.
The program is open to just about anyone in Tennessee, including residents of Middleton and the rest of Hardeman County, just across the state line from Walnut. You do not need to own wooded land to take part.
Why the state needs white oak acorns
White oaks are slowly losing ground in Tennessee’s forests. “White oak regrowth has declined in Tennessee’s forests,” State Forester Heather Slayton said, calling the program part of a large-scale effort to restore the species statewide.
Each year, the state’s East Tennessee Nursery in Polk County grows a large crop of white oak seedlings for restoration work. In recent years, commercial seed suppliers have not been able to provide all the acorns the nursery needs. Now in its sixth year, the collection program fills that gap with acorns gathered by volunteers.
According to the Division of Forestry, seed collected in the wild also tends to produce higher-quality seedlings that are larger and stronger.
Who is behind the program
The Tennessee White Oak Initiative is a partnership between:
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry and its East Tennessee Nursery
University of Tennessee Extension
The Tennessee Forestry Association
White oak is one of the most valuable hardwoods in the region. It is prized for lumber, furniture, flooring and whiskey barrels, and its acorns are an important fall food for deer, turkeys and other wildlife.
How to help collect white oak acorns
The state invites individuals, families, civic clubs, forestry groups, landowners and youth organizations such as scout troops and 4-H clubs to take part. Here is how to get started:
Learn the steps first: The Tennessee Forestry Association’s acorn collection webpage explains how to collect, store and deliver acorns for the program.
Know your oak: Only white oak acorns are wanted. If you are not sure which tree you have, contact your local Division of Forestry area forester, listed in the agency’s online staff directory, for help.
Watch the calendar: The collection window ends Nov. 15, 2026.
White oaks are usually easy to spot by their leaves, which have rounded lobes instead of the pointed, bristle-tipped lobes found on red oaks. The acorns ripen in a single season and drop in early fall.
A good weekend project
With hunting seasons underway and fall leaves coming down, it’s a good time to be outside in the woods. Picking up acorns is an easy job for kids and grandparents alike, and every bag helps grow the next generation of Tennessee hardwoods.
The Division of Forestry also helps landowners with forest management, supplies tree seedlings, supports forest health programs and fights wildland fires. More information is available on the division’s webpage at tn.gov/agriculture.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
