There’s a lot going on in America’s forests.  Forests vary across the country, both in terms of land coverage by state, and tree type.  Different factors threaten trees, and have resulted in largescale losses of forested land.  Understanding what makes trees tick–and what threatens them–is important to being an informed individual.  It is also useful when it comes to understanding when and how a tree needs to be removed. 

Every state has some percentage of tree cover, although some states, like North Dakota, have a very small section of forested land.  Across all of the states, it is estimated that there are nearly 300 billion trees.  Famous trees found in the United States are Redwoods, Douglas fir, and Pond cypress.  

Trees play important parts in the ecosystem, and are unfortunately under attack from various threats.  Deforestation is a big issue, and has wiped out millions of hectares of forests.  For example, in Alaska, deforestation eliminated 6.3 million hectares between 2001 and 2025. 

Pests are another threat to trees, impacting roughly 50 million acres every year in the United States.  They also place a burden on the economy, resulting in $40 billion in damages to plants annually.

Finally, wildfires are another key danger to trees.  In the last 24 years, roughly 13 billion kilohectares of tree coverage in the United States has burned in wildfires.  During this time, wildfires resulted in $89 billion in lost output. 

The trees in neighborhoods and backyards can also be affected by these threats, and sometimes need to be removed for safety.  It is vital that tree removal is carried out by professionals, as it can be dangerous if attempted without training or proper equipment. 

With all of this information, it is important to stay up-to-date, and to work with professionals when needed.  Tree service experts can provide immense help in determining how to manage trees, and should be the first line of defense for tree removal projects.