"If you are thinking a year ahead, sow a seed. If you are thinking ten years ahead, plant a tree. If you are thinking one hundred years ahead, educate the people." Chinese Poet, 500 BC

The American Association of Amateur Arborists is a loose association of individuals and groups who are interested in learning more about trees and other woody plants. The more we learn the more it becomes apparent that we have inherited a remarkable variety of trees, that our own neighborhoods are like arboreta and are fertile ground for learning more about trees. As we learn more we find we can help others recognize the variety of species around them and become more aware of their environment.

There are several ways in which we can share both our knowledge and our enthusiasm for trees:

ArborWalks

Leading a small group of people through neighborhood parks, or just down their own streets, can be an eye-opening exercise. Many of your neighbors are just unaware of the variety of trees around them. An appreciation of nature and natural beauty can start with that awareness.

ArborTags

ArborTags are inexpensive labels for tree identification. On one side appear the Latin and common names of the tree, while on the other appear various descriptions to aid identification: the leaf; the flower, fruit or nut; the bark and structure; and other cultural or anecdotal information about the tree or its species. The ArborTags are freely provided for anyone's use.

ArborMaps

ArborMaps are the best way of both documenting a neighborhood and teaching neighbors the names of their trees. With these maps everyone can take their own ArborWalk, at their own pace, stopping to enjoy the striking peculiarity and beauty of individual specimens.

ArborWorks

The American Association of Amateur Arborists is a small but growing group of people and organizations. Our aim is both to learn more about the trees around us, and to help others become more aware of the environment. Learn how you can become an active member. Its free.

ArborBooks

The best way to learn about trees is to get a good tree guide and start walking. Below is a brief annotated list of guides and other books I have found useful.

Melanie Choukas-Bradley & Polly Alexander, City of Trees, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1987,

An excellent guide to trees in the Washington, DC, area; many of the species are common throughout the middle-Atlantic. Not only are species described and illustrated, but also the locations of special examples of the trees are given.

Peter Davis, Museums and the Natural Environment, Leicester University Press, London, 1996.

A fresh review of the role which museums and arboreta have played. Impelling discussions about the possibilities and future responsibilities of these organizations.

Michael A. Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Stipes Publishing Co., Champaign, IL, 1990.

The classic reference manual. Professor Dirr has been elaborating and expanding this essential manual since 1975. Definitely not a field guide, it is the most complete and most current compendium of trees and bushes.

Elbert L. Little, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1996.

Complete with photographs of leaves, bark, fruit and flowers, this is still the most comprehensive field guide available. The descriptions are clearly and usefully written, highlighting the distinguishing characteristics of individual species.

Stephen A. Spongberg, A Reunion of Trees; The Discovery of Exotic Plants and Their Introduction into North America and European Landscapes, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1990.

A beautifully illustrated history of the journeys of early explorers who went to the far corners of the world to obtain rare plant specimens. Many of the exotic discoveries of old are now familiar sights in our backyards.

ArborSites

A number of sites on the Web discuss both arboreta and botany issues.

Botany

The Internet Directory for Botany is the motherlode of Web links for botanists, gardeners and tree-people.

AABGA

The American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta is the umbrella organization for arboreta in the U.S. Links to many home pages as well as a list of publications.

Bioinformatics

The Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group has published a fascinating list of botanical links on plant systematics and evolution.

British Trees

An introductory page on trees, Forest Science, and botanical gardens in Britain including a link to "Silva" by John Evelyn published in 1664.

Amazing Trees

Articles, discussions and links to information about trees. Always up to date, and always interesting.

Plant Biology 250

Professor Reveal at the University of Maryland has published his lecture notes and bibliographies for this undergraduate course in plant biology.

The TreeWeb

The TreeWeb is one component of an effort to make trees more familiar, to help people understand the lives and significance of trees, and to contribute to the conservation of trees and forests.

Trees of Eastern North American Forests

Fine photographs of the forest trees found in the American northeast.

Good Nature Publishing

Hand illustrated prints of Western trees and flowers. Handsomely done.

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