Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification (TPAQ) Certificate Workshop

hosted by the

September 11-12, 2025  -  Billings, MT

The Northern Rockies Tree School (NRTS) will be hosting an American Society of Consulting Arborists-Certified  (ASCA) Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification (TPAQ) Certificate Workshop September 11-12, 2025. This 2-day workshop provides training in the theory and application of current tree and plant appraisal. The course will utilize both instructor-led discussions and case scenarios to illustrate concepts, allowing participants to become familiar with the relevant methods and techniques used to approach plant appraisals and the ability to make reasoned judgement about the value of trees and landscape plants.

Learning Objectives

• Understand basic appraisal concepts
• Define the tree and plant appraisal process
• Understand tree and plant appraisal, approaches, methods, and techniques
• Apply tree and plant appraisal approaches, methods, and techniques
• Present assignment results

Eligibility

Anyone is eligible to attend a TPAQ training course. However, to be eligible to take the exam and earn the TPAQ certificate, applicants must:

• Provide a signature page with application agreeing to follow the ASCA Standards of Professional Practice when conducting their work in the appraisal of plant or tree assignments. AND
• Provide evidence of a minimum of 5 years of professional work experience in horticulture or arboriculture by the submittal of a curriculum vitae or resume. AND
• Provide evidence of at least one of the following:
• • Possess a four-year degree, OR
  • Hold one of the following positions or credentials:
    
  • Registered Consulting Arborist
  • International Society of Arboriculture Board Certified Master Arborist
  • State-registered or state-licensed landscape architect
  • Member of the Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF)
• 
  

Candidates who are not currently eligible to take the exam may pay the registration fees and attend the educational training sessions, but they may not sit for the open-book exam. If you are not eligible to sit for the exam at the time of attending the training, you will have 12 months from the date of the training to complete the eligibility requirements (as listed above) to take the exam and receive the TPAQ certificate. If you previously took a TPAQ training course and are now eligible to take the exam, please contact asca@asca-consultants.org.

Workshop Materials

Registrants will be provided with a physical copy of the ASCA Tree and Plant Appraisal Qualification Workbook, as well as all necessary testing materials (Scantron, #2 pencils, exam). In addition to the provided materials, you are required to bring the following:

• Guide for Plant Appraisal, 10th Edition - physical copy only, a digital copy of the 10th Edition is NOT permitted.
• Hard hat
• High visibility clothing (i.e., vest)
• Scientific calculator (cell phone calculators are acceptable)

Additional resources encouraged, but not required:

• A Consultant's Guide to Writing Effective Reports
• Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), Chapters 1-4
• ANZI Z60.1 American Standards for Nursery Stock

Space is limited to the first 20 registrants.  Pre-registration is required. No on-site registrations.

Registration deadline extended to: August 31st

Workshop Schedule

Thursday, September 11th:

• 7:30 - 8:00 am: Continental Breakfast (provided)
• 8:00 am - 5:00 pm: TPAQ Course Instruction

Friday, September 12th:

• 7:30 - 8:00 am: Continental Breakfast (provided)
• 8:00 am - 5:00 pm: TPAQ Course Instruction, TPAQ Certificate Exam

Follow the link to register online, or contact our office with questions. Qualified ASCA Members receive discounted registration rate.

Looking for more details on logistics? Find them here:

Venue: Classroom instruction will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton, at 27 N. 27th Street, in downtown Billings, MT. Outdoor instruction will be conducted near the venue.

Lodging. We have a discounted room block set up at the DoubleTree by Hilton for workshop attendees, at a rate of $149/night. There are a limited number of rooms available at this rate, offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. The group discount expires on August 11, or when the room block fills, whichever is first. To receive the discounted rate, reserve early, and no later than August 11, 2025. Room reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly: 406-252-7400, or book online using this link. You may need to adjust the dates in online booking to view all available rooms. Ask for Group Code 95Y when booking over-the-phone. 

Very Important: The Northern Rockies Tree School and Montana Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) do NOT use a third-party service for hotel reservations. You should make your reservations directly with the hotel through our booking link, or by calling the hotel directly. If contacted by a company representing themselves as an authorized housing company for the conference, please note that we do not contract for such services and these companies are not affiliated with the MNLA or Northern Rockies Tree School. (If you have made reservations through such a third party, you may wish to consider cancelling those reservations and notifying your credit card company to ensure that no fraudulent charges are posted against your account.)

Meals: Continental Breakfast and Lunch will be provided each day of the workshop. If you have dietary restrictions, please contact us no later than September 1 to discuss accommodations.

Cancellation policy: If you need to cancel your registration, you must contact our office before September 1 to receive a refund of registration fee, minus a $100 administrative fee. Refunds will not be made for cancellations received after September 1. 

Questions? Contact us: info@plantingmontana.org or call 406-755-3079.

*While we try to keep the schedule that is posted on our website, schedules may change in order to accommodate the special needs of the presenters or the hotel. MNLA reserves the right to substitute speakers or modify the workshop schedule as the need arises. Any speaker or schedule changes will be communicated with attendees via email.