Forest Health

The health of a forest directly influences all aspects of forestry and is influenced by insects, diseases, abiotic events, invasive plants, improper silvicultural prescriptions, harvesting damage to residual stand, air & water quality, soil compaction, wildfire and much more. It is also not restricted to just rural settings since forests exist within urban environments and riparian strips between two agricultural fields.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry seeks to improve the health of Tennessee’s forests through effective prevention, detection, evaluation, suppression, and technical assistance measures. Coordination of these activities with partners is vital to success. Empowering landowners and citizens to take action by recognizing forest health threats and knowing what they can do will help to ensure our trees and forests are protected for generations to come.