Forest Health Protection Overview

Providing technical assistance for forest health activities and monitoring and reporting on the health of all forest lands in the Pacific Southwest Region.

What does Forest Health Protection (FHP) do?

We work in partnership with the National Forest System (NFS), other federal agencies, states, Native American tribes and the private sector, to provide assistance, technical expertise, and forest health information. Forest Health Protection (FHP) staff includes specialists in forest pathology, forest entomology, pesticide use and safety, remote sensing, and geographic information systems. We provide assistance in the following areas:

Our work

  • Training the next generation of land managers

    Forest Health Protection entomologists and plant pathologists had a busy year in 2023 providing forest insect and disease identification and management training to Forest Service employees and partners across the state and beyond.
  • Forest Health Monitoring

    Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) is a national program designed to determine the status, changes, and trends in indicators of forest condition on an annual basis.
  • Pesticide-Use Management

    FHP staff are responsible for managing and coordinating the proper use of pesticides within the National Forest System.
  • Aerial Detection Survey

    Tree mortality and other forest damage is detected by annual aerial surveys over forested lands.
  • Shared Service Areas

    Forest Health expertise is provided across all lands (not limited to the National Forest System) by entomologist and plant pathologist teams located in four areas of the state.
  • Invasive Species

    Invasive species have been identified by the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service as one of the four significant threats to our Nation’s forest and rangeland ecosystems.
  • Insects and Diseases

    California is home to a number of forest insects and diseases.
  • FHP in Hawaii & the US Affiliated Pacific Islands

    Providing forest health technical assistance, training, sessions, and technology transfer to Hawaii and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands.

Cooperators

Resources

To keep you in the know, here are some resources about: