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Now is a great time of year for tree identification, because leaves both remain on trees, and are falling. Nuts are falling. Nuts and leaves can be used for positive tree identification. This is a fun part, for me and others in my family, of woodcraft. It helps one to get to know the woods better.
In winter, tree identification by bark alone, while possible, is challenging. In fall, leaves, nuts, bark and forest environment can be matched to arrive at a positive identification. Hiking and hunting are two activities that are complimentary with good tree identification skills.
I have been happy to experience the various types of oaks. Growing up in Michigan, I was familiar mainly with red oak, and to a lesser extent, white oak. Where we have lived in Pennsylvania and Indiana, chestnut oak and chinkapin are also present. These are interesting trees that grow in interesting places in the forest. The swamp burr oak, quercus bicolor, is one of my favorites, and a family member in Ohio has a majestic example in the back yard, leftover from when the land was cleared for the subdivision construction about 15 years ago.
Other nut trees such as hickory, beech, and walnut are interesting, and can be identified relatively easily at this time of year. My bike ride yesterday was littered with shaghbark hickory nuts, black walnuts and eastern white oak acorns. I got off the bike and spent some time digging through the specimens on the ground near the trees.
By improving one's tree identification skills, better understanding is possible for aspects such as alternate vs opposite branching, forest types and topography/drainage/soil type. Tree groupings such as birch-cedar, beech-cherry-hemlock, fir-spruce-aspen and others are quite interesting to learn about.
What are others' experiences with improving the understanding of what's growing, and why, in their local forests?
In winter, tree identification by bark alone, while possible, is challenging. In fall, leaves, nuts, bark and forest environment can be matched to arrive at a positive identification. Hiking and hunting are two activities that are complimentary with good tree identification skills.
I have been happy to experience the various types of oaks. Growing up in Michigan, I was familiar mainly with red oak, and to a lesser extent, white oak. Where we have lived in Pennsylvania and Indiana, chestnut oak and chinkapin are also present. These are interesting trees that grow in interesting places in the forest. The swamp burr oak, quercus bicolor, is one of my favorites, and a family member in Ohio has a majestic example in the back yard, leftover from when the land was cleared for the subdivision construction about 15 years ago.
Other nut trees such as hickory, beech, and walnut are interesting, and can be identified relatively easily at this time of year. My bike ride yesterday was littered with shaghbark hickory nuts, black walnuts and eastern white oak acorns. I got off the bike and spent some time digging through the specimens on the ground near the trees.
By improving one's tree identification skills, better understanding is possible for aspects such as alternate vs opposite branching, forest types and topography/drainage/soil type. Tree groupings such as birch-cedar, beech-cherry-hemlock, fir-spruce-aspen and others are quite interesting to learn about.
What are others' experiences with improving the understanding of what's growing, and why, in their local forests?