Inonotus obliquus (Ach. ex Pers.) Pilát is a fungal pathogen of birch trees (Betula spp.) and other hardwoods that produces a sterile conk known colloquially as chaga. Chaga has medicinal value as an anti-mutagen and for gastro-peptic relief. Chaga harvesting has recently increased throughout its natural range in North America, including the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF). There is currently a lack of knowledge on chaga resource incidence and ecology in North America, which this project sought to rectify. Two surveys were conducted in 2017 and 2018 in the WMNF, totaling 2611 sampled trees. Positive correlations were found between chaga presence and mean stand tree age, diameter at breast height, and elevation. Overall chaga frequency was low (3.75%); however, sclerotia were widely distributed throughout the study area, with infected trees clustering. Chaga presence did not correlate with stand-level species composition or annual basal area increment, though it did appear with significantly greater frequency in yellow birch trees compared with other birch species. Additional damages related to biotic and abiotic stressors did not correlate with chaga presence, except for those resulting directly from chaga presence. These results have important silvicultural and forest management implications for chaga harvest practices across its North American range.