Trees are one of our valuable resources, but are often not treated with the care and respect that they deserve. Not only do they provide the materials for some of our most coveted goods, such as paper, medicine, and wood, but they are also critical to the natural ecosystem. Trees affect air quality, offer protection from natural disasters, and prevent soil erosion. They even create the air all living land animals breathe. Despite their indispensable effect on both humans’ and animals’ quality of life, human activity has been harming tree coverage all over the globe. Trees by the Numbers Trees by the Numbers In the United States alone, it is estimated that there are 300 billion trees. However, this coverage is not evenly distributed across the nation. There are some states with trees covering over 80% of its land mass, including Maine, New Hampshire, and West Virginia. However some states’ land has less than 5% of tree coverage, such as North and South Dakota and Nebraska. It is not merely a coincidence that these states are among the least populated in the country - trees can significantly impact quality of life. 300 billion trees 300 billion trees There are a few famous tree types that are synonymous with the United States’ natural landscape. The Coastal Redwood is renowned for being the tallest tree type in the world, reaching average heights of 379 feet tall. They live for an extraordinarily long time, with average ages of 600- 800 years. These giants are located in the Redwood National Park in California. The Pacific Northwest is also home to the Douglas First, which is another extremely tall and old tree species. These trees reach an average of 327 feet tall and 400-500 years of age. States like Virginia are home to an extremely wide tree species known as the Emancipation Oak, which has an average diameter of 100 feet. These beautiful trees, along with the thousands of other species covering the country, face countless threats, both from natural and human-caused sources. Deforestation has destroyed millions of hectares of tree coverages, especially in states such as Alaska, Alabama, and Georgia. Invasive pests have also impacted forest cover, damaging about 15% of the country’s tree population each year. Humans have exacerbated this damage by introducing non-native pest species. 15% of the country’s tree population 15% of the country’s tree population The Impact of California Wildfires The Impact of California Wildfires Wildfires are another devastating threat to tree life, and pose a particular danger to humans and animals as well. In 2024, alone, over 7 million acres of the United States was burned by wildfires, which is a landmass equivalent to all of Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. States that are most commonly affected by wildfires include Alaska, California, and Idaho. California wildfires have received a lot of media buzz especially, due to the burning of highly populated areas. 2025 bore witness to especially devastating fires in Southern California, including the Palisades, Easton,, and Auto fires. 7 million acres 7 million acres Conclusion The economic impact of these fires was unprecedented, with $150 billion in losses. Clearly, the protection of trees is crucial to the survival of our species, and a lot of effort must be taken to preserve these important life forms. $150 billion in losses $150 billion in losses

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Protecting America's Forests

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