Fargo, North Dakota, July 9 - 11, 2013

The 2013 Great Plains Tree Pest Council was hosted by 2013 Chair Aaron Bergdahl at the Radisson Hotel in Downtown North Fargo, ND.  The two-day agenda included presentations on Flooding effects on trees in the Missouri River Basin in ND (Dr. Jared LeBoldus, NDSU), A history of trees in the Northern Plains through tree ring analysis (Joe Zeleznik, NDSU Extension Forester), National Elm Trials (Dr. Jim Walla, Northern Tree Specialties, filling for Dr. William Jacobi), Windbreak Health (Dr. John Ball, SDSU), Exotic bark beetle trapping: new findings (Dr. Gerald Fauske, NDSU).  There was also a Common Tree Disorders of the Northern Plains Quiz and awards ceremony.  Tours included a City of Fargo Elm Management Tour hosted by the city forester, Scott Liudahl and a trip to the Dale Herman Research Arboretum in Absaraka, ND hosted by Dr. Todd West and Greg Morgenson, both of NDSU.  An optional half day was included in the agenda where a volunteer editorial committee discussed the update of the Rocky Mountain Research Station General Technical Report 129, "Diseases of Trees in the Great Plains".