In October, about 250 people from around the world traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee to attend the International Oak Symposium hosted by The University of Tennessee School of Natural Resources and the USDA Forest Service.

Southern Research Station scientists Stacy Clarkand Callie Schweitzer co-chaired the 4-day conference that featured 75 oral presentations and 30 poster presentations. Topics included silviculture, ecology, and forest health. Some talks focused on the economic markets of oak for whiskey and other industries.

Photo Credit

Christine Martens, USDA Forest Service

Tim Boland, the Executive Director at The Polly Hill Arboretum, delivers the opening plenary talk titled "The world of oaks - diversity, cultural history, and conservation."

During the first plenary talk, Tim Boland, the Executive Director at The Polly Hill Arboretum, explained that there are approximately 450 species of oak worldwide, with 169 species in Mexico alone. With such a diversity of species in this genus, there are tremendous benefits to bringing researchers and land managers from around the world together to discuss the threats that oaks face globally from pests, diseases, land management changes, and climate change.

Attendees were introduced to the region through several southern Appalachian cultural experiences: Local music and poetry performances during the symposium introduction and music from The Bearded, a local bluegrass band, during a traditional southern barbeque dinner reception.

The symposium blended traditional sessions and presentations with innovative, integrated activities to engage attendees. This included two panel discussions: One on prescribed fire and wildfire threats and another on voluntary carbon markets and initiatives led by The Nature Conservancy.

“One of our primary goals was to attract young professionals and students to train the next generation of professionals who most likely did not receive much education on hardwood science or management in their college careers,” explains Clark. Students and early career professionals participated in mentoring programs, competitions for best presentations, speed networking, socials, and games.

Students and early career professionals enjoyed an oak-themed jeopardy game and karaoke organized by Tara Skiba, a PhD candidate at the School of Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee and the Symposium Committee’s student activities representative.

Approximately 40 professional attendees volunteered to serve as mentors, networking professionals, and competition judges. “With 40 professionals and 80 early career professionals and students, attendees were interacting with each other in a more direct way. This type of engagement spurred innovation and facilitated exchanges of ideas that are resulting in new collaborations and research directions,” Clark said.

Photo Credit

Christine Martens, USDA Forest Service

Jay Clark, Director of Environmental & Sustainability Initiatives, Adjunct Instructor of Biology at Maryville College presents the geology and natural history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as part of a tour.

Optional full-day field trips highlighted research by the USDA Forest Service and partners. Attendees visited the Great Smoky Mountains Biosphere Reserve managed by the National Park Service, The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, and The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center in Oak Ridge. Field trips included demonstrations of research and management conditions and gave attendees an opportunity to see the southern Appalachian Forests for all of their diversity and complexity.

The proceedings for the symposium were published ahead of the meeting, allowing attendees to pick up hard-copies for reference at registration.

The symposium was supported by 36 sponsors, from NGOs and private industry to academic institutions and government agencies. From the momentum that this event has created, a second International Oak Symposium is being considered for 2027.