You might award a prize to the person in your school who can find the largest tree and properly identify it by name. Many insects and diseases injure and kill forest trees. In fact, they kill more trees each year than forest fires. For example, the gypsy moth larvae eat the leaves of trees. If the trees lose their leaves year after year, the trees will die.
Trees depend on the leaves for manufacturing food.
Unfortunately, there are gypsy moths in New Jersey, but they can be sprayed with substances that will control them. Another leaf eater is the tent caterpillar. It may damage trees around your home, in orchards, and in cities as well as forests. Before this hairy caterpillar becomes a flying moth, it can do much harm. Tent caterpillars may be controlled by removing and destroying their nests or web.