How much risk is there that insects and disease will destroy the forest?
It is impossible to predict when or to what degree a major outbreak of insects and disease will occur. Many factors contribute to the level of risk. Climatic conditions, elevation, forest age and tree size are all factors. Prolonged drought can also weaken trees resistance to insect and disease attacks. Because of these variables, outbreaks generally occur in cycles. Because insects and diseases are an ever present and key component of a properly functioning forest, the Forest Service doesn’t try to eliminate them. The Forest Service does use harvesting, and fire regularly as preventative tools to maintain the forest in a healthy and insect disease resistant condition.
