The answers may be on your phone…
By Charlie Bennett
“You need to get a general idea of how to identify certain trees. You can go in your backyard to practice, or even use an app on your phone,” says Kevin Wang, a Senior at Ames High School, who has been fascinated by trees ever since he joined his school’s Science Olympiad club. He’s had to master the art of forestry, identifying trees, their properties and characteristics, fun facts, and even their environmental impact in order to lead his team to success in their trivial matches against other schools.
“You must start by looking at the leaves and needles, and decide whether it’s a deciduous tree or a coniferous tree.” Deciduous trees feature leaves that fall off yearly, while coniferous trees feature cones, which are present year-round. Deciphering between the basic types of trees is the most entry-level way to figure out the type of tree. Once you’re comfortable with these differences, practice, practice, and practice some more. As Kevin said, head out into your backyard, go for a walk, or look out your window. Download a tree identification app and take mental note of the small differences between trees. Begin by deciphering between common trees, like maples and oak. Slowly increase the difficulty and soon enough you’ll be an expert!
“It’s a great feeling to go for a walk and know exactly what’s happening in the forest around me,” said Kevin. He’s found greater pleasure in simple activities like going for a walk, as he feels accomplishment in identifying a tree with a glance. “It really is a great hobby and skill to have in your repertoire.” declared Kevin.
We get it. You’re busy. You have enough on your plate. When are you ever really going to need to decipher trees? Well, “It could save your life”, said Kevin. Let’s say you’re out camping. You get lost with no wood to start a fire, no tools to survive, and no food. Being a tree expert could bail you out. If you know enough trees, you’ll know which trees have non-poisonous berries, which have the best bark for a fire, and which bark is sturdy enough to be used as a tool. Long story short, never be too proud to learn about trees.