The inaugural meeting of IUFRO Working Group 7.02.13 ‘Forest Health in Southern Hemisphere commercial plantations’ was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from 21-23 March. The meeting was a great success and included numerous presentations on forest pests and diseases and their management. Presentations covered topics such as forest health surveillance and biosecurity, disease epidemiology and diagnostics, and pest management. A country perspective on the current status of forest health was also provided for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay. FABI was represented at the meeting by Prof. Brett Hurley, who gave one of the plenary addresses.

FABI presentations:

Hurley B.P. Insect pests of plantation trees: challenges and responses. (Plenary address)

Fraser S., A. McTaggart, M.J. Wingfield, J. Roux. Infection biology of the rust pathogen Uromycladium acacia. (poster)

Hurley B.P., I. Greyling, M.J. Wingfield, B. Slippers. Pests and pathogens increasingly threaten plantation forestry in South Africa.

(Photos supplied by the organisers of IUFRO Working Group 7.02.13)