A new study has revealed where the United States is losing the most trees, and a state that is among the least populated in the nation has claimed the top 3 spots.
Comparing over 3,100 U.S. counties based on the net percentage and net change in tree cover between 2000 and 2020, LawnStarter ranked the counties by most tree cover loss.
The #1 spot goes to Yukon-Koyukuk in Alaska with an overall score of 98.39, while the lowest loss comes in at #3132 for Lea County, New Mexico, with an overall score of 4.85. 3 Alaskan territories took up the top spots, with some of thelargest recorded tree canopy losses.
What's causing the nation's receding canopies? There are numerous root causes, including extreme weather events, pest control issues, diseases, and human development.
Millions of acres of Alaskan wildlands have been impacted by wildfires, and since 2016, two million acres of spruce forest area have been devastated by spruce beetle infestations.
Tree mortality in Rhode Island can be attributed to gypsy moth caterpillars, which are responsible for killing over 45,000 acres of forest.
Many of Maine's trees are succumbing to invasive threats such as emerald ash borers and hemlock woolly adelgids, which are degrading forests of native beech, ash, and hemlock trees.
United Nations members (and the U.S. by executive order) have committed to a 30X30 conservation goal, aiming to conserve 30% of their land and seas by 2030.
So far, Maryland is the only state to have met this goal.
Experts also advise that trees are not only beneficial to the environment but can even increase your property value and lower your energy bills.
Conservation efforts and sustainable forestry practices focus on maintaining biodiversity, and widespread awareness about tree care and invasive threats can help keep our canopies green and growing.
