The first week of May has been an eventful — and troublesome — one in the world of forests. Take a look in this edition of Forest Digest.

  • Drought kills 12 million trees in California’s national forestsThe Los Angeles Times
    Last month, researchers the U.S. Forest Service conducted an aerial survey of more than 8.2 million acres of forest in California and estimated that the drought has killed off at least 12.5 million trees in California’s national forests during the drought.
  • Forest Service chief predicts above normal U.S. wildfire seasonReuters
    U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told a U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday that he expects and an above-normal wildfire season formuch of the western and northern U.S., mainly because of extreme drought conditions and temperatures that are higher than average.
Firefighters in California expect an above-average wildfire season this summer. Credit: John Newman
Firefighters in California expect an above-average wildfire season this summer. Credit: John Newman
  • New plan approved for Shoshone National ForestCasper Star Tribune
    Officials from Wyoming’s Shoshone National Forest, the country’s first national forest, have agreed to an updated forest plan, a process that began a decade ago. The plan doesn’t include new wilderness areas, but also prohibits motorized recreate in a large area of the forest, a compromise according to a staff member from a local conservation group.