Air pollution damage to U.S. forests

Forestry research into the damage caused by air pollution, prevalent since the 1980s, has consisted of both field studies and controlled experiments. An alternative method is to survey scientists. These expert surveys tap the latest information and can quickly summarize current scientific thinking. A survey of forestry and air-pollution experts examined estimates of current and future stand growth change as a function of pollution, and the degree of variability in those estimates. Ozone is generally perceived as the greatest threat, while sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are not considered serious threats. The greatest damage appears to have occurred in the forests of southern California and the Appalachians.