Trees! How to go about learning them.

[MSkiba]

Best method is to start with one tree. Prefebly one right outside you house (not far from google and this forum), identify it. once your happy, move onto the next tree closest to your house.. and so on.

Dont bother to go into the woods and try to identfy all tree's for now.

 

[addo]

Great advice so far, Winter Id, leaf, bark, buds, outline shape and colour from a distance and all during different seasons will help. Concentrate on the natives in natural(ish) environments.

Associate uses with trees, they tend to stick then. There are less than 30 natives, learn them first then think about the others.

If you can go for a walk with someone that's learnt over a few years you will rapidly speed up your knowledge on the day and have digested it by the end of the week.

Ive moved onto mushrooms now, by gum thats a tad harder.

Good luck.

 

[shaggystu]

..... There are less than 30 natives, learn them first then think about the others......

any chance of a list addo?

cheers

stuart

 

[addo]

Looks more like 36 in this list but folks fall out all the time about what's native. A good list though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trees_of_Britain_and_Ireland#Native_trees

 

[shaggystu]

.....folks fall out all the time about what's native.....]

i had a feeling that might be the case, if you say it's a good list that'll do me

cheers

stuart

 

[mattyuke]

Saying that at 1p plus postage I could see myself going for the laurosse one. Then I can carry it wherever I go.

 

[telwebb]

I've just got this one as well (based on this thread) and it looks the business

 

[woodymellor]

Hello fellas,

I'm kind of in the same position, book on it's way, and I've been able to ID a couple of trees in my area with the use of internet and iPod aqpps etc.

Just wondering if you had any advice from a different approach - namely, what would be your suggestions for most useful trees to learn? I.e. a top 5 trees, say, according to usefulness in bushcraft.

From what I've read I'm thinking someting like Ash (firewood), Lime (cordage)...etc.

Thanks

Woody

Oh blimey, nearly forgot Birch!

 

[Nonsuch]

I learned a kind of mantra and kept on adding to it - "beech wavy, birch spiky, alder all around, spruce single needles, firs flat, pines in pairs" etc

NS