What Are The Most Damaging Tree Diseases In The Foothills and High Country?
The foothills and high country of North Carolina are home to lush forests and rich biodiversity, but these areas face increasing threats from tree diseases. Trees are essential for the environment—they help stabilize the soil, provide habitats for wildlife, and regulate water systems—and also for the local economy, supporting industries such as timber and tourism.
Visitors flock to the region for hiking, camping, birdwatching, and other nature-based activities, drawn by the opportunity to explore the diverse ecosystems and wildlife habitats that the forests provide.
The tranquil beauty of the forests, combined with the abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities, makes the region a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike.
Our region, known for its extensive forests of oaks, pines, hemlocks, and dogwoods, is under constant threat from pathogens that weaken or kill trees, leading to massive environmental and economic consequences.
Forests are dynamic ecosystems that play a vital role in the health of our planet, providing resources, habitats, and climate regulation. These rich and diverse environments are home to countless species of plants and animals, many of which rely on the intricate balance of the forest ecosystem for survival.
Beyond their ecological importance, forests also serve as vital resources for human populations, offering everything from timber and medicinal plants to clean air and water.
North Carolina Forests include highly diverse forest ecosystems that support a very strong forest industry in the state, producing forest products from medicines to log homes.
The state includes approximately 18.4 million acres of forestland, 61% of the total land area. Approximately 82% of this forestland is owned by private landowners, which supplies timber for a significant portion of the state’s overall industrial output.
The state’s forest industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, providing jobs for thousands of employees and producing timber products shipped worldwide. Over seventy-two thousand workers are employed in the timber and lumber industry in North Carolina.
The forestland also produces many other important natural resources and attributes, including wildlife habitat, watersheds, recreational areas, carbon sequestration, and living spaces. North Carolina is blessed with an abundance of forestland, much of which is owned by private landowners.
Forestry and agriculture are very important to North Carolina's overall economy. Our forest and agricultural lands also provide many other attributes, including recreational areas, wildlife and ecological diversity, and clean water and air.
Our lands are managed for various resources, and as landowners, you greatly impact the productivity and sustainability of your property. However, you have no control over weather patterns. You may be able to mitigate the effects of excessive rain or drought conditions to some extent through management, but typically, you are at nature’s mercy.