New Mexico Forests Under Siege

New Mexico’s forests are in crisis as tree deaths surged to 209,000 acres last year—up from 67,000 in 2024—driven by warmer, drier winters that keep bark beetles active longer. Over the past decade, 291,000 acres have been lost to spruce beetles, with drought-affected forests jumping 66%. While a virus has slashed defoliation by 51%, overall forest threat rose 6% in one year. State officials warn forests have exceeded their carrying capacity, urging proactive management to avoid future disasters. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/29ec64ca8a0ace2d