Good region specific tree identification books?

C

ccooper

Location
Hoschton, GA
I'm trying to learn most the trees specific to my area, but I can't find any good books. Most my research so far has been online, but once I go into the forest, it's hard to remember all the differences. I figured there was a couple of go to books specific to regions with good color pics available, but I haven't found them yet. I'm in northeast GA. Any good websites I should be studying too would be appreciated.
 
Hey Cooper, I live fairly close to you and have several suggestions to help with tree id. The first resource I recommend is Native Trees of the Southeast by L. Katherine Kirkman, Claud L. Brown, and Donald J. Leopold. It doesn't have a ton of pictures but has a great key and lots of information on each species covered. I also like to carry a copy of Peterson Field Guides, Eastern Trees by George A. Petrides and Janet Wehr. Always nice to cross reference two sources, and it has lots of pictures that help narrow it down often. Another resources I recommend is Virginia Tech's Dendro Fact sheets, here is the link, http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/factsheets.cfm. You also live really close to the UGA Thompson Mill Arboretum that's managed by the Warnell School of Forestry. The only problem is that its only open Mon-Fri when us normal people work. This collection is very extensive with native and ornamental varieties. You should also check out UGA's campus arboretum walks. There are three separate walks that cover a wide range of tree species common around here. Here is the link to those walks, http://www.hort.uga.edu/research/arboretum/.

Good luck and hope his helps you out!
 
Thanks Kmac. Yes, I live about 2 miles from the Arboretum and have been there a few times. Pretty cool place. I went to Barnes and Noble and spent some time looking thru their tree books and I also really liked the Peterson Guide along with the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide. I'll look up the other book. Do you rec climb, work climb or both around Athens?
 
ccooper said:
I'm trying to learn most the trees specific to my area, but I can't find any good books. Most my research so far has been online, but once I go into the forest, it's hard to remember all the differences. I figured there was a couple of go to books specific to regions with good color pics available, but I haven't found them yet. I'm in northeast GA. Any good websites I should be studying too would be appreciated.
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This is going to seem WAY outside the box ................ but trust me.
This is VERY useful; for beginners and others.
It is a step-by-step, set of drawings, leading to the ID. (if this, then go here; if not, then go there)
I first found it in early 1990's.
(I have at least 6 other, more traditional, ID books.)

This may look too simplistic; but for $3.50. You should TRY it ! ! !
Very useful, easy to remember, shirt pocket size, cheap ! ! !

There is a whole series of these pamphlets:
Winter Tree Finder
Fern Finder (ferns are very hard to ID; but this makes it easy ! )
Winter Weed Finder
Track (animal) Finder
Flower Finder

My county park service gives "How to Courses"; this is typically the main reference !

Tree Finder: A Manual for Identification of Trees by their Leaves (Eastern US) (Nature Study Guides)

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Finder-M...dp/0912550015?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

In fact it is currently on loan.
(She thought she had an American Chestnut ......... it's a Beech)
 
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That one is still in my cart Greg, the other two were in there also but magically appeared today when my daughter came over to visit.
 
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ccooper said:
I'm trying to learn most the trees specific to my area, but I can't find any good books. Most my research so far has been online, but once I go into the forest, it's hard to remember all the differences. I figured there was a couple of go to books specific to regions with good color pics available, but I haven't found them yet. I'm in northeast GA. Any good websites I should be studying too would be appreciated.
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One of my go to ID books here in GA is 'A Field Guide to Woody Lanscape Plants of the Southeast' by Rex Bishop. Half the page describes the plant or tree and the other half is a very large, bright picture of the plant/tree. There is a winter version as well.
 
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