New Mexico tree deaths tripled in 2025

Tree deaths tripled in New Mexico during the second-warmest year on record, according to a new report that shows a mixed portrait of resilience and vulnerability across New Mexico’s forested landscapes.

Each year, the New Mexico Forestry Division and U.S. Forest Service conduct aerial surveys to map insect and disease activity across 14 million acres of state, private, Tribal and federal forests and woodlands. The subsequent report captures a comprehensive analysis of forest health across New Mexico.

Key findings from the report show that during 2025, beetle-killed conifer forest increased 211%, mostly on national forest lands; defoliation (distinct from mortality) decreased 51%; total acreage with damage decreased 6%; and forests impacted by drought and heat increased 66%.

PHOTO: Dead tree at the Rio Grande, New Mexico. (iStock-#475886386 │ Jared_campbell)