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History of the North Eastern Forest Pest Council

With a serious spruce budworm outbreak nearing New England and European spruce sawfly outbreaks already present, it seemed only logical that the American Northeast should organize to combat these invaders. A group of 14 entomologists, pathologists, and foresters met in Boston, on June 3, 1939 and formed the Council organized along a similar line as the Canadian Forest Pest Control Committee.

The "Council” has had several names. The first, in 1939, was "Northeastern Forest Disease and Insect Pest Committee." In 1947 the word "Pest" was changed to "Control." In 1952 the name became "Northeastern Forest Pest Committee." In 1956 the word "Council" was substituted for "Committee" to give the present name of  "Northeastern Forest Pest Council."

The purposes of the council are as follows:

1. to promote better understanding, coordination, and cooperation among all agencies interested in forest entomology, forest pathology, forest health protection, and management;
2. to encourage and support the inclusion of pest management as an integral part of forest management; and
3. to serve as a clearing house for information on pest research and management.

Membership is made up of forest entomologists, forest pathologists, foresters, forest pest regulatory officials, USDA-Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service, universities, and representatives of timber land owners and organizations interested in forest protection, in the New England states, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and eastern Canada including the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland/Labrador.

Winter meetings consist of paper presentations on forest pest conditions, entomology, pathology, and  business matters. The occasional optional summer meeting includes visits to research plots and forest pest management sites.

In 1997, the North Eastern Forest Insect Work Conference officially combined with the Pest Council. This action incorporated the annual Forest Insect Work Conference type program, the Gerald N. Lanier Graduate Student Forum, and the Pest Council program, to form the current Northeastern Forest Pest Council program.