US EditionMinnesota DNR releases annual forest health report
The 2025 report details 24,000 acres damaged by wind including 11,600 by a Bemidji derecho, plus insect outbreaks and wildfires raising wildfire risks statewide.
- Recently, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources released its 2025 Forest Health Annual Report documenting insect outbreaks, wildfires, and extreme weather damage statewide over the past year.
- DNR climatologist Pete Boulay said a July derecho blew down about 11,600 acres near Bemidji, while spruce budworm defoliated roughly 182,000 acres and increased wildfire risk.
- More than 13.5 million acres were aerially surveyed by DNR aerial and ground survey teams last year, documenting nearly 24,000 acres of wind damage statewide.
- Officials estimate elevated fire risk in the Bemidji area for the next three to five years, while DNR salvage crews and investigators salvaged damaged timber and scheduled follow-ups this year.
- Novel pest findings include the elm zigzag sawfly, confirmed on Aug. 6, 2024, while emerald ash borer expanded into six additional counties, bringing known infestations to 59 counties.
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2025 derecho highlighted in Minnesota's annual forest health report
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently released its annual forest health report from 2025. The report highlights impacts to forestland over the past year, which came in the form of insects, wildfires and extreme weather. One of the extreme weather events was a derecho that damaged 11,600 acres of forest in and around Bemidji. The Upper Midwest is prime real estate for derechos, according to Pete Boulay, climatologist with the DNR…
Minnesota DNR releases annual forest health report
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources aerially surveyed more than 13.5 million acres last year, checking for forest damage across the state’s wide expanse of forestland. Its findings are included in the recently released 2025 Forest Health Annual Report. Brian Schwingle, forest health program coordinator, said the annual survey and report is important for landowners and forest managers because it tracks trends and reveals what is impacti…
Bugs, blowdowns last year heighten Minnesota wildfire worries
A wind storm in June damaged more than 11-thousand forested acres, mostly in Beltrami County. In a new report, the DNR says the blowdown raises fire risk in that area for the next three to five years.
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