Let's Grow 11,000 Trees!
LIVE has joined forces with a student-led Willamette University organization called Growing Oaks in an effort to grow 11,000 Oregon white oak saplings a year. With help from our community and LIVE members, we collect roughly 40,000 acorns a year and nurture these into saplings to distribute to LIVE members and the community once they are big enough.
About the Project
In 2021, LIVE learned about Growing Oaks, a student-led organization at Willamette University that was collecting Oregon White acorns then growing them into saplings to distribute to the community to plant. This effort, alongside other efforts in advocacy and community engagement, are all part of Growing Oaks’ mission to raise awareness of the keystone species that has great cultural significance in the area and is a host to over 200 species of native wildlife in the region.
When LIVE learned about this initiative, we were intrigued and saw an opportunity to expand these efforts by involving the sustainable winegrowing community. As the majority of the remaining Oregon white oak population in the Willamette Valley lives on private land, vineyards play a big role in the preservation of these trees.
Many LIVE members are involved in the protection of Oregon white oaks and have old-growth Oregon white oak trees on their properties (with many acorns to share!) Last year, with help from our members and community, we were able to collect over 40,000 acorns.
Why 11,000 trees?
On average, the Oregon wine industry contributes to an average of 85,000 tons of CO2e emissions a year. As a thought experiment, we wanted to see how many trees it would take to offset these emissions. Based on the calculations of our expert carbon accounting advisors, growing 11,000 trees for 50 years would store enough carbon in our soils to sequester roughly 85,000 tons of CO2e emissions.
Why Oregon white oaks?
The Oregon white oak, which houses over 200 wildlife species, is rapidly declining. Less than 3% of historic oak habitat remains today. With roughly 98% of the remaining native population (in the Willamette Valley) being on private land, vineyards hold a lot of responsibility and power in the destiny of this keystone species.
Many LIVE members are involved in the protection of Oregon white oaks and have old-growth Oregon white oak trees on their properties (with many acorns to share!)
Saplings available!
If you are interested in growing Oregon white oak saplings on your vineyard or property, we are offering one free pot (three saplings) per member with additional pots available for a suggested donation of $10 per tree, which will be split between LIVE and Growing Oaks. Please fill out our pre-order form if you are interested! We will be hosting pickup days this fall with dates to come. Oak plantings are most successful in Fall.
Thank you to our project sponsors!
Without the support from our community, this project wouldn’t be possible. Big thanks to:
Stirling Fox who has generously offered to host greenhouse space and planting support for 11,000 saplings
Left Coast Estate & Joe Wright for hosting our micro nursery of 5,000 saplings and to Joe for his help in managing this site
Recology donated compost for 2024 planting needs
Highway Fuel donated soil for 2023 planting needs
Stuewe & Sons donated 7,000 acorn pots
