claim: U.S. Forest Service data show pine beetle infestations have recently declined dramatically throughout the western United States.
evidence: It may be the largest forest insect blight ever seen in North America., monocultural replanting, and a century of forest fire suppression have contributed to the size and severity of the outbreak, and the outbreak itself may, with similar infestations, have significant effects on the capability of northern forests to remove greenhouse gas ( CO2 ) from the atmosphere.