A U.S. Forest Service survey has revealed the high costs of the California drought to one of the state's most treasured features: its sprawling forests.
Susan Murphy reports: "An estimated 12 million trees across California’s forestlands have died over the past year because of extreme drought conditions, according to an aerial survey conducted April 8-17 by the U.S. Forest Service."
A later paragraph makes it clear that the dead trees were found in Southern California forest areas, so the potential for deaths is even greater for the entirety of the state. And the article focuses on the region's forest in places like the Cleveland, San Bernardino, Angeles and Los Padres national forests. In San Diego County alone, 82,528 trees, "mostly Jeffrey pines across Mt. Laguna," have died in San Diego County.
The article also explains how trees living close together must compete over limited moisture, contributing to the mortality of huge numbers of trees during drought events.
FULL STORY: California Drought Killed 12 Million Forest Trees Since Last Year

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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