TREE IDENTIFICATION (VIRTUAL)

Do you love trees but can’t tell an Ash from a Walnut, a Birch from a Beech, or a Spruce from a Fir? Are you looking to connect more with the natural world around you? Join Shelley Hunt, U of Guelph course instructor and former Arboretum Director, for a virtual, interactive tree identification workshop. There will also be an optional in-person session available. Over the course of 4 Zoom sessions, with hands-on challenges to complete in between, you will learn the basics of tree ID, with a focus on native Ontario species (and their look-alike non-native counterparts). You will learn about the important features to look for (e.g. leaf shape and arrangement, bark characteristics, fruits and cones), as well as the details that help us to distinguish between species in the same group (e.g. Ashes, Pines, Maples). You will practice your skills on trees that you can find in your local area, and get feedback on your ‘homework’. The fourth session will include a virtual tour of trees in The Arboretum’s collections. Sessions will run from noon-1:00 PM (one hour of instruction, and up to 30 minutes of optional questions/discussion) on Thursdays from July 7th through to July 28th. The virtual session is included in the in-person session, so if you are registering for the in-person session you should not register for the virtual session.

Cost: $50 (plus HST) per person, per session.