New York City Trees: A Field Guide for the Metropolitan Area

by Edward Sibley Barnard

Book Overview

If you're not a tree lover now, this pocket-sized gem--dedicated to the idea that every species of tree has a story and every individual tree has a history--will make you one. Produced in consultation with the City's Parks and Recreation department and the New York Tree Trust, this book is a reference to the stories of New York City's trees, complete with photographs, tree silhouettes, leaf and fruit morphologies, and charming and informative explanatory...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231128355
• ISBN13: 9780231128353
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.0" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Great Book

I gave this book as a gift for a couple moving to NYC. They were so excited to receive it. They immediately looked through it and loved the information. It came in good condition and in the timeframe promised.

The best guide I've ever seen.

I now can go from one end of the year to another almost without ever seeing a tree I can't identify, thanks to this book. The book is like having an infinitely patient teacher with you: rather than just a list of species or a series of pictures of leaves (or bark, etc.), it identifies the most salient features of each species, noting key distinctions among similar species (you might not know that you can tell a sugar maple from a norway maple, despite their near-identical leaves, by plucking a leaf and looking at the sap, for instance, unless you read it here). What is more, if you are having problems with a particular type of tree, he gives the locations of specimens so you can see them in person (when you are in New York!). The selected species are excellent as well, because many species in an urban environment are non-native, and so typical "field guides" are not useful. A magnificent guide and introduction to horticulture and the love of plants. A must for a New Yorker, and probably the most useful tree identification guide for the Northeast in general. I think its format should become the standard for guidebooks. Using this book, it is very easy to go from zero tree knowledge to knowing hundreds of species at sight.

Interesting and Useful

Excellently bound and water resistant for those rainy tree-identifying expeditions. The author shares interesting background on our parks and how they relate to the history of NYC. I've not walked a park walk yet, but their promise has me looking forward to spring and summer excursions. I found the tree data (leaf, young bark, mature bark, fruit, crown shape, and where to locate examples in and around NYC) sufficient to make many local identifications so far. One would presumably have an existing interest in tree identification to go and buy a book like this. However, if given as an unexpected gift, there is enough sincerity and information that it just might spark an interest in finding and knowing the wonderful, living trees that cohabitate with us in NYC.

know the tree you're hugging

This book is amazing. I've just started to pursue my interest in trees in the past year. I'm surprised at how difficult it is to be sure you're looking at the particular species you think you're looking at. Not a problem with this book. Tree walks (with maps!) in parks in all the five boroughs tell you exactly what you're looking at. The book lists the best trees in every borough and pin points where to find them. Who knew there was a White Oak with a diameter of 64 inches beside the 18th hole of the split rock golf course that may be more than 200 years old? Well, now I do. Aside from all the unusual, unexpected infomation, you'll also find an excellently rendered standard tree guide that you'd expect in any good field guide. If you live in New York City and want to know more about trees, get this book.

The only guide you will need when visiting the NY area

This is a superb pocketable book that gives the full lowdown of trees in the metro area. Full color throughout - lovely photos and enough trees included to be pretty well all you need for much of the Northeast. If you believe that trees are also about the most important contributor to a beautiful environment, then this book also serves as a good guide to the most beautiful places to visit in the NY area (including NJ, Long Island and Westchester county).