Getting Stuck While Creating Levels For Games
The main thing to target is textures. Unless you’re using Nanite, then also model sizes.
And, only use a small number of models.
You can make a amazing forest with 1 tree, 1 fern, 1 rock, 1 grass mesh, 3 ground textures, and some imagination… 
Don’t forget settings:
You probably need to enable the option to process masked materiaps in early z pass.
Likely you also want to make sure that the output vertex velocities are computed out and used by TAA for removing ghosting and streaking if you are using TAA.
Tris count and overdraw matter a lot too - afterall no one will play in your forest if they get 10fps while in it.
Taking the skyrim approach is likely ideal;
Make a single 2k texture that includes all the possible foliage (a couple branches of trees, a couple of plants, a few of grass cut out, and some free leaves).
Reduce that texture down to 1k via mip or texture setup, and use it on appropriately crafted assets which are placed in the same HISM or foliage.
Optionally, make sure you bump the texture for the transparency up to the full 2k when the object is close enough (double size on screen?) - to prevent it from looking fuzzy.
With properly made assets the whole thing is possible.
With trash you pluck out of differnt stuff like epic assets or megascans, forget about a forest.
The engine has trouble even rendering a single plant on a white background 
Cant speak to nanite though - havent tested it, likely wont until its not a beta release so maybe 2026…
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