THE SIBLEY GUIDE TO TREES

THE SIBLEY GUIDE TO TREES David Allen Sibley, the preeminent bird-guide author & illustrator, now applies his formidable skills of identification & illustration to the trees of North America.Monumental in scope but small enough to take into the field, The Sibley Guide to Trees is an astonishingly elegant guide to a complex subject. It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identificationmore than has ever been collected in a single bookinto a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format.With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the Guide highlights the often subtle similarities & distinctions between more than 600 tree speciesnative trees as well as many introduced species. No other guide has ever made field identification so clear.Features highlighted include: leaves (including multiple leaf shapes & fall leaf color) bark needles cones flowers fruit twigs silhouettesMore than 500 maps show the complete range, both natural & cultivated, for nearly all species.Trees are arranged taxonomically, with all related species grouped together. By focusing on the fundamental characteristics of, for example, oaks or chestnuts or hickories, the Guide helps the user recognize these basic species groups the same way birders recognize thrushes, warblers, or sparrows.In addition, there are essays on taxonomy, on the cultivation of trees, & on conservation issues, reflecting Sibleys deep concern with habitat preservation & environmental health.An important new contribution to our understanding of the natural world, The Sibley Guide to Trees will be a necessity for every tree lover, traveler, & naturalist. It is sure to become the new benchmark in field guides to trees. ISBN: 0-375-41519-X publish date: 09/14/2009