Beyond Tree Identification: Learning the Secrets of Trees With Annie Novak

In this four-part lecture series, get to know the trees around you—from learning basic botany and tree identification to performing your own fieldwork.

With crowns that rustle above us and a universe of roots that sprawl beneath us, trees and woody plants shape much of the world that we occupy. But just how well do we know them? Join Annie Novak for a four-part tree intensive that moves from basic botany to self-led fieldwork. We’ll learn the fundamentals of tree identification and how to practice local phenology by developing observation skills that go beyond leaf identification to a closer look at vegetative characteristics in every season—preparing for your own independent between-session walks that will feed a deeper understanding of who these woody giants are. By the end of this course, you’ll not only be empowered by an introduction to trees’ evolutionary history, plant families, and botanical function as well as how to follow exciting new science such as tree communication, but you’ll also find yourself engaging with tree-filled spaces around you in an enriched way.