Insect and Disease

---

In the Forest Health Index, Insects and Disease scores the amount of tree mortality caused by pests such as beetles and funguses. Tree-threatening diseases and insects, like bark beetles, play a natural role in the life cycle of forests. However, more intense or longer-lasting levels of infestation can disrupt forest ecosystems and change which species are most successful.

For the Forest Health Index, the insect and disease indicator uses maps generated by aerial surveys to measure the amount of dead or dying trees.