The seemingly idyllic Tongass National Forest has been under siege. In the wake of a major blackheaded budworm infestation, countless acres of the expansive forest were stripped of their greenery, leaving a barren, defoliated landscape in their wake. This wasn’t an isolated event. Rather, it was the follow-up punch to the forest’s health after the stress caused by the hemlock sawfly in 2018 and 2019. With the forest’s recovery now in the balance, the question becomes: What are the long-term implications of such a brutal, back-to-back assault on this majestic ecosystem? The Unseen Impact of Forest Defoliation The budworm infestation … Continue reading Climate, Caterpillars, and Canopies: Unraveling Tongass Forest’s Battle with Budworms