Read the latest in forest news and updates from American Forests staff and programs in this week’s Forest Digest!

Forest News

Credit: Mathias Appel
  • Tree health a challengeThe Porterville Recorder
    Giant Sequoia National Monument, one of the many national monuments which has recently undergone “review” by the Department of the Interior, is facing challenges regarding a perceived lack of adequate management — millions of trees are dead or dying. Supervisor Kevin Elliot says their poor health has a lot to do with environmentalists’ efforts to halt timber sales, but that’s only part of the problem.
  • HSBC triggers investigation into palm oil company over deforestation allegationsThe Guardian
    It’s no secret that palm oil is a major driver of deforestation, responsible for an average of 270,000 hectares of forest loss per year. So when allegations surfaced regarding Noble Plantations’ plans to clear thousands of hectares of pristine rainforest in Papua for palm oil cultivation, HSBC launched an investigation regarding the sustainability of the project. This decision is considered a first for a major bank.
  • Study suggests climate change may kill off the aardvark in some areas — Phys.org
    Climate change is showing no mercy. A new study by a team of researchers from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa has discovered evidence suggesting that aardvark populations are likely to decrease with rising temperatures. In a particularly hot and dry spell in Africa, five out of six monitored animals died from “apparent unnatural causes.”
  • Hot dogs: Is climate change impacting populations of African wild dogs?ScienceDaily
    Noticing a trend here? Aardvarks aren’t the only species threatened by climate change. Based on research by the British Ecological Society (one of the first studies on how shifting temperatures affect tropical species), findings report that African wild dogs raise fewer pups at higher temperatures. The species is already classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List — yikes.
  • 15 of the most remarkable trees in AmericaTreehugger.com
    This article says it best: “Few things are as iconic as a country’s trees.” They stand witness to history, act as landmarks, and are quite literally our life givers. From the revered Angel Oak to the first cultivated tree planted by European settlers to lesser-known favorites, there are branched beauties across the country more than worthy of our respect and admiration.