Another week and another Forest Digest. See what’s happening in the world of trees:

• “New Analysis Finds Over 100 Million Hectares of Intact Forest Area Degraded Since 2000” — World Resources Institute
  More than 104 million hectares — an area three times the size of Germany — of the world’s largest remaining forests experienced rapid degradation from 2000 to 2013.
  **Check out the actual data compiled by researchers from the University of Maryland.

• “Drought helps invasive species thrive in Utah forests” — Fox 13 – Salt Lake City
  Over the last decade, drought conditions in Utah’s forests have created an ideal environment in which bark beetles thrive, threatening the state’s pine trees.

• “Fires and drought have transformed New Mexico forests” — Las Cruces Sun-News
  New Mexico is also dealing with forestry setbacks because of drought, as well as extensive wildfire damage. Up to 18 percent of the Southwest’s forests were lost to wildfire and bark beetle outbreaks — both issues related to a warming climate — between 1984 and 2006.

• “Native forests need proper preservation from urban sprawl” — The Miami Hurricane
  Dozens of acres of pine forest on the campus of the University of Miami in Florida could potentially be lost to urban sprawl. Students and members of the surrounding community are working to ensure the preservation of these trees.

• “Planting Trees Has Real Health Benefits, We Should Plant More Of Them” — Co.Exist
  Ending this week’s Forest Digest on a high note: Let’s plant more trees! We’ve known for awhile about the benefits healthy trees and forests provide — word is getting around!