06/12/2026
Tree deaths tripled in New Mexico during the second warmest year on record, according to a new report that shows a mixed portrait of resilience and vulnerability across New Mexico’s forested landscapes.
Each year, the New Mexico Forestry Division and U.S. Forest Service conduct aerial surveys to map insect and disease activity across 14 million acres forests and woodlands.
This year’s survey shows that during 2025:
→ Beetle-killed conifer forest increased 211%, mostly on national forest lands
→ Forests impacted by drought and heat increased 66%
→ Defoliation (distinct from mortality) decreased 51%
→ Total acreage with damage decreased 6%
While pest populations boom and bust in cycles, New Mexico’s forests are persistently stressed by prolonged drought, rising temperatures and resource competition due to too many trees on the landscape.
“Our forests have exceeded the land’s carrying capacity,” said Victor Lucero, forest health program manager. “No matter what, disturbance events will try to rebalance our ecosystems, whether it’s through human intervention, like proactive thinning, or biological events such as pest outbreaks or wildfire. We can manage disturbances to prevent catastrophic events like these in the future.”
“It's important to contextualize that this report is a snapshot of New Mexico’s forests at a specific time,” said State Forester Laura McCarthy. “However, this snapshot is a good predictor of what to expect for the next few years if such meager precipitation and warm winter temperatures persist.”
📰: Read the full release and the report: https://mailchi.mp/state/tree-deaths-tripled-2025
