300 Million Trees Die After Historic Drought

Last year, Texans across the state felt the sting of the worst one-year drought in state history. Consumers dealt with extreme water restrictions while some cities saw their water supplies become so depleted that drinking water had to be trucked in from nearby towns. Total agricultural losses attributed to the devastating dry spell are estimated at over $8 billion for that one year period.

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, we now learn, 301 million trees were killed as a direct result of the historic 2011 drought. It is a staggering statistic, yet that number represents only trees in rural and forested areas. It is believed an additional 5.6 million trees in urban areas also fell victim to the severe lack of rain.

Though conditions have vastly improved, it is important to remember more than half the state is still suffering from some degree of drought. We are not out of the woods yet and must continue to be diligent in our efforts to conserve water resources.

To read more about the Texas A&M Forest Service report, click here.