US Forest Service Closing 57 of 77 Research Facilities

Monday, April 06, 2026

The US Forest Service (USFS) is closing 57 of its 77 research facilities in 31 states under a reorganization plan, undermining the ability to analyze how wildfires, drought, pests, and global warming threaten America's forests.

In 2025, 77,850 wildfires burned 5,131,474 acres of arable land and forests in the US

Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 02:29 AM | 1 COMMENT | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Besides researching how best to re-grow forests after devastating wildfires, the USFS researches methods on countering pests and invasive species.

AI snapshot: "In 2025, several pests caused significant damage to America's trees, exacerbated by a warming climate that allows cold-sensitive pests to expand their range.

Key pests damaging America's trees include:

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB): This invasive beetle kills ash trees by tunneling under the bark and disrupting nutrient flow. It remains a major threat, causing widespread ash tree mortality and economic damage exceeding billions of dollars.

The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid: This pest affects hemlock trees, contributing to their decline and death, with substantial ecological and economic impacts.

Spruce Aphids: In Oregon, mild winters in 2025 led to outbreaks of spruce aphids damaging Sitka spruce trees, illustrating how climate change is fueling pest outbreaks.

The Asian Long-horned Beetle: August 2025 was highlighted as a critical period to monitor for this invasive beetle, which causes severe damage to hardwood trees."

#1 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-04-06 02:41 AM | Reply