According to the Texas Forest Service, the state has lost 10 percent of the tree population.
The agency plans to use satellite imagery to firm up its ballpark estimate of tree loss in the spring, when budding leaves will identify which trees simply went into early dormancy this year and which are no longer living. To gauge tree loss over time, the TFS relies on its Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, a federally-funded ongoing census of the state's forestlands.
While some areas are seeing some precipitation, and could see more with incoming winter storms, trees statewide still are not out of the woods. Mortality is expected to increase, even with more rain.
