Mississippi’s trees paid the price for the drought the state endured in 2023.
A preliminary report from the Mississippi Forestry Commission indicates that roughly 12.5 million trees died in a 13 million-acre circumference during the hot, dry conditions that ran from the summer months into the fall.
The issue even carried over into the winter but in a different way. Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson estimates that three out of every five Christmas trees planted in the Magnolia State died due to the drought.
But all hope is not lost for farmers and natural tree enthusiasts, Gipson proudly proclaims.
“The good news is that farmers have already taken steps to prepare for next season. This is the time to put new trees in the ground,” Gipson told SuperTalk Mississippi News back in December. “We’ll get through this. It’s been a tough year, but I’m thankful for the rain we are getting. The ground is softening up and we just need more of that.”
Rainfall has been prevalent in Mississippi since the new year began, providing a source of sustenance for starved trees in dire need of nutrition.
