Tree-Damaging Pests Put<br />40 Percent of US Forests at Risk According to a study recently published by PNAS,<br />non-native forest pests are destroying swathes of woodland<br />in the United States and could cause irreparable damage. The study found that six million tons of carbon<br />are expelled annually by dying plants, which is the<br />equivalent of adding 4.6 million more cars to the roads. These forests are being destroyed by over 400<br />oversea pests that have been introduced to American<br />forests due to increased international trade and travel. Songlin Fei, Purdue University, via ‘The Guardian’ Rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns are<br />also contributing to the problem, as they add increased<br />strain to these carefully balanced ecosystems. An estimated six billion dead trees are currently<br />standing in the western USA, with even more<br />trees dying due to disease, insects and wildfires.
