The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has implemented tree plantings in the Northern Great Plains since the 1930’s. Planting trees and shrubs can provide many benefits including erosion control, wildlife habitat, and wind protection. Since its origin in 1954, a principle task of the NRCS Bismarck Plant Materials Center (PMC) has been tree improvement. 

The environment in the Northern Great Plains can be harsh; trees need to survive the extremes of heat, cold, and drought. In 1972, the PMC began planting large numbers of different tree and shrub species in off-center evaluation plantings (OCEP) throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota on mostly public land such as Agricultural Experiment Stations, Soil Conservation District farms, or County Parks. OCEP sites offer diverse climatic conditions where trees can be evaluated for adaptability and performance over a long period of time. The tree and shrub entries in OCEPs come from a wide array of sources such as universities, other State and Federal agencies, native collections, other countries, Plant Introduction Stations and private nurseries. At OCEP sites, trees are evaluated on a rotational basis for height, width, vigor, disease, winter hardiness, drought tolerance and overall performance. New entries (seed sources and species) are added annually.

Since 1972, there have been hundreds of seed sources and species evaluated by the PMC at 14 different OCEP locations. The most recent OCEP evaluations were at Brookings, SD (Brookings OCEP Annual Report 2024) and Dickinson, ND (Dickinson OCEP Annual Report 2025). Information gathered by the Bismarck PMC from trees at OCEPs has and continues to play a vital role in cultivar and germplasm development and NRCS Technical Guide recommendations for Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Tree/Shrub Establishment in the Northern Great Plains.

With this and other work, the Plant Materials Program aims to share plant solutions that solve local and national conservation problems. For additional information on other OCEP locations, please see the Plant Materials Program website or  contact the nearest Plant Materials Center or Plant Materials Specialist.