Comments on: The Bourbon Industry Relies on White Oaks, Which Are in Decline. Now, It’s All In on Saving Them

By: Ray White

Ray White — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:04:49 +0000

Being in the Forest Industry for over 100 years; I can say that the stave mills, veneer, and quarter mills are overharvesting our WO forests. Also, they are taking logs down to 10″DBH which is a crime! There has always been an unwritten rule for loggers not to cut below 13 -14″ DBH unless it is a clear-cut regeneration improvement.
The invasive species across our forest is in fact due to the hands-off approach of our National Forests. We are already seeing a dynamic shift in wildlife etc. as they lose their food supply of acorns. The fowl habitat is gone and so many invasive species taking over our oak forests.
We need to bring back intense harvesting of our national forests to keep them as they once were. I will emphasize from my observations, that the stave mills are depleting our White Oak faster and pushing out the next harvest to at least 100 years. This is a travesty and as an industry environmentalist, I will be the first to defend my statements as fact. I am in the woods every day; I see what is taking place. The increased pesticide use is nonsense, expensive and unnecessary, if the forest service would reinstate sustainable harvesting, the forest will naturally regenerate as predominately Oak. I will add that private lands have all but been depleted of WO now with the exception of Saplings. Or at least until they figure out a way to take the saplings too.
Unfortunately, each day, I watch lower quality WO of 150 trailer loads a day pass my mill for the stave mills. Again, they have now resulted in using 10″ logs which is a crime. I refuse to even cut or purchase a 10″ log. No matter what spin is pushed on the WO Initiative; the overharvest of young trees is factual and needs to stop. I fear it is already too late in Kentucky, Tennesse, and some mid-west states. My WO lumber log supply has dropped 50% year over year. The lumber industry is in an uproar with little ability to compete with the massive profit margins generated by the bourbon industry.
We need common sense approach that was so successful over the last 100 years as we did not have this problem. But as stated, the fire suppression, mature Maple, Beech, Hickory and Sassafras forests that have replaced oaks already; lack of open canopy, and the refusal of the National Forest Service to do what is their charge; manage our forests. This change started about the year 1980’s and has progressively become worse. We need disturbed forests to allow our habitat to heal, and our wildlife to return. But I can only be pessimistic as the damage has already become so great; and the increased need to supply the endless demand for Staves is just too enormous!

By: Mark Garretson

Mark Garretson — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 17:19:44 +0000

I wonder if it would pay for farmers in northwestern Oregon or western Washington to move from Christmas tree and grass seed operations to planting native White Oak in large numbers.
Probably too much lead time involved.
Perhaps some Douglas Fir forestland could transition to White Oak.

By: Donna

Donna — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:53:50 +0000

Maybe we could do without so much whiskey. It does quite a bit of damage to humans. It’s not a necessity. Less whiskey and more old growth trees equals a healthier environment.

By: Rebecca Kiefer

Rebecca Kiefer — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:38:25 +0000

Everything is give and take. In order to preserve our way of life we should be prepared to give back to nature along the way.

By: Dave Cooper

Dave Cooper — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 21:24:50 +0000

We toured the International Stave Company facility in Lebanon, KY. It was very interesting to see the barrels made. There is a lot of craftsmanship involved. The main thing I got from the tour was that each mature white oak tree (about 100 years old) makes only two barrels. They can only use the trunk of the tree, as it cannot contain any knots (which would leak) and the wood has to be very high quality, no insect holes, splits or rot. But the quality of our forests is in decline due to climate change, invasive insects etc.
Also, Red Oaks are used to build the framing of the rickhouses, so there is great demand for both. If you drive through Bardstown KY it is simply astonishing how many rickhouses are being built, as fast as they can. Clearly there is a shortage of usable white oaks coming, just a matter of when.
We have seen in the last century the Emerald Ash Borer is wiping out the Ash trees, Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is getting the Hemlocks, Dogwood anthracnose, the Chestnut trees are almost gone due to Chestnut Blight, Dutch Elm Disease, the ongoing threat from the Asian Long Horned Beetle, Spotted Lanternfly etc etc … a person in the forestry business (or the bourbon industry) would have to be a fool not to be extremely worried.

By: Lewis

Lewis — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:20:17 +0000

In reply to Brian. No. Can't be aged for 1 second under 2 years for it to be called bourbon

By: Jennifer G Malacarne

Jennifer G Malacarne — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 02:22:22 +0000

Our White Oaks here in SW Illinois are suffocating from waves of 2,4-d and dicamba vapor drift floating miles from wherever it was applied. After 6 years of this our White Oaks have leaves the size of a cat’s ear and they are curled, cupped, very tough, and misshapen, but still green. Then the tree dies! Our area is in the midst of a huge Salvage Harvest of White Oak. The saplings are in the woods, but also show leaves that indicate herbicide damage. We find oak leaves 200 acres inside dense timber that test with up to 140 ppb 2,4-d and/or high levels of dicamba. Please look up “Herbicide Drift” or “Herbicide Damage to Trees” or “prairierivers.org *Resources *Herbicide Drift.” Consider writing to the US EPA and your Dept of Ag and your legislators asking for high level regulation of these Group 4 Herbicides. Regards, Jennifer Malacarne, OKAW, Inc Land Trust Director and Kaskaskia Watershed Assoc 3rd Reach VP.

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 00:55:47 +0000

"There are no regulations as to how long bourbon must age, but to be labeled straight bourbon it must age for at least two years in new charred oak."

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 21:39:49 +0000

In reply to Chris.

Theyvalso repurpose these oak barrels for scotch…grate article….

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:33:07 +0000

Where did you get your information? White Oak was used for wine barrels way before Bourbon was a hot commodity. It’s the clear cutting that is messing things up not Bourbon.