Forest Health

There are many definitions and opinions about what is meant by “forest health.”

Our definition:

A healthy forest displays resilience to disturbance by maintaining a diverse set of structures, compositions, and functions across the landscape. Secondly, it is hoped that healthy forests meet the current and future needs of people in terms of values, products, and services. These two elements of a healthy forest are interrelated, but may oppose each other. A healthy forest may be able to meet societal needs indefinitely, but only with sustained ecological capacity to recover from human or natural disturbance.

A forest of pine trees

Purpose & Goal:

Utah's Forest Health Program contributes to a strategic Division goal to "provide for long term sustainability of natural resources on non-federal forest, range, and watershed lands." The purpose of the Forest Health Program is to provide Division service foresters, community foresters, private landowners, and other partners with information, education, technical assistance, and appropriate management strategies to prevent pest epidemics and achieve healthy forest stand conditions.