ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In a significant environmental turnaround, New Mexico's forests and woodlands witnessed a dramatic 50 percent reduction in damage from insects, disease, and drought-stress across various land ownership types in 2023, compared to the previous year. The New Mexico Forestry Division's latest Forest Health Report highlights this decrease, amounting to 363,000 fewer acres affected statewide.
Cibola National Forest experienced a notable recovery in forest health during 2023, with only 220 acres affected by tree mortality. This represents a dramatic 98 percent reduction from the previous year, when 13,000 acres were recorded with mortality.
“We're in a very different place than we were two years ago,” said Victor Lucero, Forest Health Program Coordinator. “We found only 2,000 acres of tree mortality last year, as compared with 188,000 acres in 2022. Bark beetles were also at a record low across the state. However, bark beetle activity near burn scars was still observed late summer and early fall, and we’re going to continue monitoring these areas throughout 2024.”
This recovery spans both state and privately-owned forests, which saw a 43 percent reduction in damage, translating to 75,000 fewer acres impacted. Furthermore, bark beetleinduced tree mortality, a persistent threat to forest health, also saw a substantial decrease across the state.
A remarkable note from the report is the 99 percent reduction in piñon tree mortality, dropping to just 1,900 acres from a staggering 188,000 acres in 2022. This improvement is attributed to late 2022 and early 2023's improved drought conditions, enabling trees like piñon and other conifers to produce sustained pitch flow, effectively fending off bark beetle colonization.
While statewide defoliation decreased by 10 percent, a noteworthy increase in defoliation due to western spruce budworm populations was observed in northern New Mexico, particularly affecting Douglas-fir, spruce, and true firs, increasing by 26,000 acres from 2022.
Among the areas of focused attention in the report is the Cibola National Forest, where caterpillars of the Douglas-fir tussock moth defoliated 2,600 acres of mixed conifer forest lands.
Additionally, the Cibola National Forest saw a 98 percent reduction in ponderosa pine mortality caused by bark beetles, with only 220 acres affected in 2023, down from 13,000 acres the previous year.
Despite worsening drought conditions throughout 2023, which saw a progression towards more severe categories of drought across the state and a ranking as the 18th driest year on record, the resilience of New Mexico's forests is evident. This resilience, coupled with effective forest management strategies such as aerial detection surveys, has played a crucial role in monitoring and responding to health threats. The report also highlights the ecological roles of bark beetles, not just as agents of destruction but also as contributors to forest ecosystem dynamics by targeting stressed and over-mature trees. This natural process eventually leads to the regeneration of forests with trees that are more resistant to disturbances, maintaining the structure and function of forest ecosystems.
As New Mexico faces a future where temperature and precipitation will continue to significantly influence forest health, the 2023 Forest Health Report offers a glimpse of hope and underscores the importance of continued vigilance and adaptation in forest management practices.