an annotated  list of my own books about trees. For inspiration, for fun, for my friends, and for my children.

“I am deeply attached to my trees. I address to them elegies and sonnets and odes. I know them all by their names like my children. They are my family. I have no other and I hope to die in the midst of them.”
- François René de Chateaubriand

Amann, G (1993) Bäume und Sträucher des Waldes. Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg, Germany, 232pp.
A pocket picture book of needles and leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, twigs in winter, and even seedlings (!) of trees and shrubs of central Europe, both native and imported. I have never before seen a more beautifully illustrated pocket guidebook.

Ashley, Anne and Peter. The Canadian Plant Sourcebook. 1992/93, 293 pp.
An invaluable “Where to Find”, especially if you are looking for a particular tree species.

Bates, H.E. (1936) Through the Woods. The English Woodland - April to April. Reprinted edition 1995, with wood engravings by Agnes Miller Parker. Frances Lincoln, London, 142pp.
A collection of enjoyable and highly observant essays about life in the forest through the seasons. A great fireside book.

Blouin, Glen (2001) An Eclectic Guide to the Trees East of the Rockies. Boston Mills Press, Erin, Ontario.
A brief description of these trees, a glossary, and bibliography can perhaps be found elsewhere. However, three things make this book unique and so highly readable. First, the depth and breadth of native American uses of these trees, particulary in medicine and other aspects of healing, but also in construction, cooking, and so many other aspects of life. Second, the uses of these trees and their forests by the pioneers from Europe who settled this region of North America. Third, the author provides great insight into the uses of these trees by wildlife, and this is especially helpful when planning for planting with this in mind.

Boulger, G.S. Familiar Trees (3 vols.). Cassell and Company, London, 160 pp, 172pp, and 152pp.

Boulton, E.H.B.(1944) A Pocket-Book of British Trees. Adam and Charles Black, London, 182 pp. With 82 plates.
A concise description of the dominant trees of Britain, including habitat, country of origin, and commerical uses of their timber.

Boyer, Marie-France (1996). Tree-Talk. Memories, Myths, and Timeless Customs. Thames and Hudson, 112pp.
Full of images of the beauty and power of trees - all kinds, from all ages, from all places. Not only photos, but sculptures, engravings, paintings, and drawings. Dedicated to ignorant dreamers who dare to love a special tree. A book for all tree lovers.

Briggs, Barbara. Our Friendly Trees. with sixteen coloured plates and extensive line drawings. Lutterworth Press, London.
A coffee table book which possibly pre-dates the introduction of the coffee table, the author provides essays on sixteen of her favourite trees, as well as the illustrations to accompany them.

Brimble, L.J.F. Trees in Britain. Macmillan and Company, London, 1946, 352 pp.
An enjoyable general account of the natural history of trees, including the uses put to the important types of wood, and lots of lovely quotations, written through the ages, about love and admiration for trees. With colour plates.

Constantine, Albert Jr. (1975) Know Your Woods. A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers.
Charles Scribner`s Sons, New York, 360pp.
None of the trees planted in Elmvale was planted with an eventual harvest in mind. However, no tree can live forever and wood is a very valuable commodity ! Perhaps this book will be helpful one day to Emma and Olivia, when the trees are much older, much larger, and require thinning.......

De Napoli, Luca (2001) Segreti Scolpiti. Ulivi di Puglia. Progress Communications, Bari, Italy.
A book devoted to the Olive Tree of the Apulia region of southern Italy, the stunning collection of colour photographs illustrates the beauty of this venerable tree, symbol of peace, beauty, and fertility. The close-up photography reveals an unimaginable array of textures and colours. A gift from Teodoro Miano.

Evelyn, John (1662) Silva, or A Discourse of Forest-Trees, and The Propogation of Timber in his Majesty`s Dominions. 3rd edition, revised, corrected, and considerably enlarged, with notes by A. Hunter, in two volumes. T. Wilson and R. Spence, York
This is the third, illustrated Hunter edition, published in 1801. The first book in English about trees and forestry, this is an amazing compilation of information from Greek and Roman times, to the end of the 17th century. Written at a time when Europe`s forests were being plundered, the British Navy had a vital interest in obtaining high quality timber in suitable lengths for building ships. So, Evelyn not only described the natural history of the most important tree species (starting with oak, of course, the most valuable of all for shipbuilding at that time), but also how to propogate them from seeds and from cuttings. It was written at an exciting time, when many interesting and possibly valuable tree species were being imported into Europe from North America for the first time (e.g. sugar maple, sycamore, black locust, red oak, tulip tree, sweet gum, cucumber magnolia, Kentucky Coffee tree, and so on). Beth bought me this handsome set for our tenth wedding anniversary.

Fairchild, Jill (editor, 1989) Trees. A Celebration. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, New York, 111pp.
A tribute to trees in the form of a complilation of writings from a variety of major writers: Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Robert Frost, Aldous Huxley, Hans Christian Andersen Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Geoffrey Chaucer, Hermann Hesse, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Beautifully illustrated with woodcuts. A gift from the editor, in celebration of Earth Day.

Farrar, J.L. (1997) Trees in Canada. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Toronto, 502pp.
Six hundred colour photos and 1600 drawings make this book the new standard, comprehensive reference work. Evolved from Hosie`s “Native Trees of Canada” , Farrar`s book includes non-native species which have become naturalised. Concise descriptions, excellent photos and illustrations, and detailed maps of native ranges.

Geisel, Theodor Seuss [“Dr. Seuss”] (1971) The Lorax. Randon House, New York.
A fantastic children`s story by the popular author of children`s books, Dr. Seuss. The villain of this story is the Once-ler whose industrial activities led to the eventual clearcutting all of the Truffula Trees for commercial purposes. The environmental destruction which this caused - air and water pollution and loss of wildlife habitat - is brought to his attention, in vain, by the Lorax who speaks for the trees. Hope rains supreme on the last page when a young boy is given a seed of a Truffula Tree by the Once-ler, now old and living in seclusion, looking back on his life with much regret. A gift from Emma, for me to read to her, on her second Christmas.

Gifford, Jane (2001) The Wisdom of Trees. Stirling Publishing, New York, 159pp.
This is a most remarkable book about the spiritual aspects of trees, derived primarily from ancient Celtic culture, but with some anecdotes from Greek mythology. The trees are listed alphabetically, but according to the Ogham Alphabet, or Celtic Tree Calendar. The first letter of the alphabet is Beth, the birch tree. The mystical associations and healing powers of trees are beautifully described and illustrated with gorgeous colour photos. The ash is the tree of life; willow, tree of enchantment, hazel, tree of knowledge; beech, tree of learning. One of my favourite books because it teaches us that trees are much more than an inanimate collection of roots, bark, wood, and leaves.

Giono, Jean. Der Mann, der Bäume pflanzte (1998) Aus dem Französischen von Ralf Thenior. In Bildern erzählt von Tullio Pericoli. Sanssouci, Zürich.
This is the famous and popular story “L`homme qui plantait des arbres” (“The Man Who Planted Trees”) by Jean Giono, but in German, with beautiful B/W and colour illustrations by Tullio Pericoli. A gift with inscription from Karin Koinig.

Giono, Jean. The Man Who Planted Trees (1985) Peter Owen, London, 39pp.
A must read for every person on this planet, this is the English translation of the famous and popular story “L`homme qui plantait des arbres” by Jean Giono. This edition contains beautiful woodcut illustrations by Michael McCurdy. A gift with inscription from Beth on our fifth wedding anniversary.

Gohl, H., Hoffmann, L., Küper, M., and Schmider, P. (1992). Wald in der Schweiz. Wiese Verlag, Basel, 127pp.
Another beautiful coffee table book, with incredible photos of forests, trees, and related flora and fauna.

Greeley, Valerie (1994) The Acorn`s Story. Blackie Children`s Books. Penguin Group, London.
Another children`s book, this simple one tells the story of an acorn: starting out life as a seed, germinating to become a seedling, growing into a young sapling, eventually growing into a young tree, until it finally becomes a mature oak. Eventually struck by lighting, life does not stop there as this oak, in turn, has produced an abundance of acorns....... Beautifully illustrated. A gift to my girls.

Grescoe, Audrey. Giants. The Colossal Trees of Pacific North America. With photographs by Bob Herger. Raincoast Books, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 164 pp.
This book not only includes chapters about the famous, gigantic conifers - Coast Redwood, Giant Sequoia, Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and Sitka Spruce, but also the Garry Oak, Black Cottonwood, and Bigleaf Maple. Gift from Beth.

Grey, Edward. The Cottage Book. The Undiscovered Country Diary of an Edwardian Statesman. With an Introduction and Edited by Michael Waterhouse. Victor Gollancz, London, 175pp.
Sir Edward Grey was a British MP, but also naturalist and writer. This country diary was written by him and his wife Dorothy, at their “retreat”, a countryside cottage, from 1894 to 1905. With beautiful descriptions of changes through the seasons, they describe not only the woods and meadows, but also local agricultural life: ploughing, seeding, and harvesting, in addition to reed cutting and thatching. In this sense, it is not a book about life in the wilderness of the boreal forest along the lines of Thoreau or Heinrich, but rather country life in a “Kulturlandschaft”. The book was privately printed in 1909 for their friends, and limited to twenty copies. This publication, published ninety years later, includes a helpful introduction, but also photos of old postcards, etchings, and watercolours of the local flora and fauna. Most enjoyable. Sir Edward was Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916. During this period with major political upheavals in Europe, this cottage was his retreat - his Walden. Again, it reminds me of the farm in Elmvale - my own retreat, where I am able to escape the growing demands of academic life, catch a breath of fresh air, and recharge my batteries.

Hecht, Susanna and Cockburn, Alexander (1989) The Fate of the Forest. Developers, Destroyers, and Defenders of the Amazon. Penguin Paperbacks, London, 349pp.

Heinrich, Bernd (1994) A Year in the Maine Woods. Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts 258pp.
Bernd Heinrich is a professor of zoology at the University of Vermont. While I am sure he must enjoy his research and teaching, he readily admits that his true love is life in the woods. Here he describes life in the forest during a year in the log cabin he made himself. Much more than merely a description, as both scientist and talented writer he is able to illustrate the myriad aspects of various life cycles: flowers, shrubs, trees, insects, birds, mammals. I suppose this book reminds me of the two summers I spent living by myself in the milkhouse at the farm, during my student days. There is no better way to learn than by doing, and this book is a good example of that.

Heinrich, Bernd (1998) The Trees in My Forest. Cliff Street Books, Division of Harper Collins, New York, 237pp.
Much of northeastern North America has been clear-cut, beginning with the pioneering settlers from Europe and continuing until the early part of the 20th century. Since then, however, with the increasing intensity and productivity of modern agriculture, less and less land is needed for farming, and much of the farmland has been allowed to revert back to forest. Here Bernd Heinrich describes the regeneration of forest on 300 acres of logged over land which he bought in 1977. In so many ways, this book reminds me of the farm in Elmvale, and my own efforts to help the slow process of eventually regenerating part of the original forest. A gift from Beth.

Hesse, Hermann (1984) Bäume. Betrachtungen und Gedichte. Mit Fotografien von Imme Techentin. Insel Vertrag, Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig, 142 pp.

Hosie, R.C. (1980) Native Trees of Canada, 8th edition, 114pp. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Toronto, 380 pp.
Standard reference work with good descriptions and illustrations of native ranges.

Johnson, Hugh (1973)  The International Book of Trees. A Guide and Tribute to the Trees of our Gardens and Forests. Revised edition, published 1993. Mitchell Beazley, London, 288pp.
Hugh Johnson is the world`s leading writer about wine, but somehow also one of the most popular writers about gardening and trees. This is an encyclopedia which includes all of the most important garden and forest trees of the temperate zone, with much practical information about soils, plant propogation, growth, and maintenance.

Kershaw, Linda. (1999) Trees of Ontario. Including Tall Shrubs. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, Alberta,, 240 pp.
An excellent pocket guidebook: up to date, concise, well laid out, excellent illustrations and photos, including illustrated key to twigs, flowers, and leaves.

Ketchum, R.M. (1970). The Secret Life of the Forest. American Heritage Press, New York, 114 pp.
This is a really wonderful “behind the scenes” book about life in the forest. From the evolution of trees to the formation of soil, decomposition of organic matter by insects and microorganisms and the carbon cycle, this is an excellent book which I bought at a used bookstore in Hay-on-Wye, in Wales, thinking it would be useful for a school project for my children (if they ever have to do a school project about trees !). However, I would recommend it to anybody interested in knowing more about all aspects of life in the forest, from the tip of the root to the top of the canopy.

Kress, Stephen. W. (1999) The Bird Garden. A Comprehensive Guide to Attracting Birds to your Backyard throughout the Year National Audubon Society. Macmillan Publishing, Toronto, 176pp.
About much more than just trees, but I included it here as it is very helpful in selecting “wildlife species” for planting in Elmvale (and Bammental !).

Küchli, Christian. Forests of Hope. Stories of Regeneration. Translated by Theodore Wachs. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada, 244pp.
A compilation of stories and reports of forest regeneration and tree planting in Switzerland, Germany, India, Nepal, Tanzania, Kenya, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, China, and the USA.

Kümmerly, Walter (1973). The Forest. Translated from the German by Ewald Osers. Kümmerly and Frey, Berne, 299pp.
A general overview of forests, trees, and wood worldwide, including not only the importance of forests to the global economy, but also their inherent value as ecosystems.

Lewington, Anna and Parker, Edward. (1999) Ancient Trees. Trees that have lived for a Thousand Years. Collins and Brown, London, 1999, 185 pp. plus bibliography, index, and acknowledgements. Published in association with the WWF “Forests for Life” campaign.
One of the most remarkable aspects about trees is their longevity. This book is about the giants: the wonders of the natural world. It is no wonder that gigantic trees have become objects of worship in so many cultures, including our own today. A coffee table book with 150 colour photographs, with well written, informative, and enjoyable text.

Lovric, Michelle (1996) The Forests. A Celebration of Nature, in Word and Image. Courage Books division of Running Press Book Publishers, Philadelphia.
A collection of beautiful paintings and poems which seek to “evoke the richness, tranquility, and primeval wonders of the Earth`s deep forests”.

McKay, S. and Catling, P. (1979) Trees, Shrubs, and Flowers to Know in Ontario. J.M. Dent and Sons, Toronto, 208pp.
Small, simple, but helpful guidebook.

Murray, Joan (1999) Tom Thomson Trees. McArthur and Company, Toronto, 127pp.
A selection of paintings of trees and nature by Tom Thomson, one of Canada`s best known painters and perhaps the most famous of the Group of Seven. Some of the most beautiful paintings of red maple in brilliant autumn colours, wind swept white pines on the PreCambrian Shield near Georgian Bay, and the boreal forest of Algonquin Park.

Newhall, C.S. (1891) The Leaf-Collectors`s Hand-Book and Herbarium. An Aid in the Preservation and in the Classification of Specimen Leaves of the Trees of Northeastern North America. G.P. Putnam and Sons, New York, 216pp.
Nice collection of illustrations showing the sizes and shapes of leaves.

Pakenham, Thomas (1996) Meetings with Remarkable Trees. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Orion Publishing Group, London, 191pp.
A book for every coffee table. Thomas Pakenham has researched, photographed, and written about sixty of the oldest, largest, and most beautiful trees of Britain and Ireland. Few books can inspire as easily as his photos.

Pakenham, Thomas (2002) Remarkable Trees of the World. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Orion Publishing Group, London, 191pp.
Another book for every coffee table. With his previous book so popular (it was even made into a mini TV series by the BBC), Thomas Pakenham was asked by his publisher to broaden his horizons, and to travel the world in search of the oldest, largest, and most beautiful trees. He succeeded, spending four years circling the globe. The result is well worth the effort. He must be the only person on Earth who has seen more or less all of the great trees remaining on the planet.

Peattie, Donald Culross (1991). A Natural History of Trees of Eastern and Central North America. with an Introduction by Robert Finch. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 606pp.
Considered a classic of natural history, this is certainly the most comprehensive compilation of lore and anecdotes about the trees of this diverse forest region. A collection of essays by an unquestionable authority, the author provides a non-technical description of the most important tree species, and then focuses upon the economic importance of each species to the history of North American development since the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century.

Petrides, George A. (1972) A Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs, 2nd edition. Peterson Field Guide, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 428 pp.

Petrides, George A. (1988) Eastern Trees. Peterson Field Guide, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 272 pp.

Platt, Rutherford (1960) A Pocket Guide to Trees. How to Identify and Enjoy Them. Washington Square Press, New York, 256 pp.
This book was given by Beth to her father, Arthur Haas, Christmas of 1972. I am not sure if we really need books to help us enjoy trees, but certainly a guidebook to help in their identification is always useful ! I like the description of Manitoba Maple (Box Elder): “the wood is weak and used to make cheap furniture and easily broken toys”.

Raach, Karl-Heinz (1997) Lebensbäume. Der Erde Verwurzelt, dem Himmel Nah. Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau,
A collection of stunning photos of trees and forests through the seasons, with selected poems. A book designed to demonstrate the tremendous beauty and immortality of Nature, trees have been the symbol of life since the development of human thought, and represent the connection between Heaven and Earth.

Schneck, Marcus (1992) Your Backyard Wildlife Garden. How to Attract and Identify Wildlife in your Yard. Key Porter Books, Toronto, 160 pp.
Again, I have included this book as it has been so helpful in selecting “wildlife species”.

Schweizerischen Departement des Innern. Baum- und Waldbilder aus der Schweiz. Erste Serie, 1908, Zweite Serie, 1911, Dritte Serie, 1913. A Francke Verlag, Bern.
This is a rare collection of individual photos of magnificent trees of Switzerland, in three volumes, published by the Federal Department of Forestry at the turn of the century. I found this in a used bookstore in Berne where we lived for 12 years. The sizes of some of the trees are truly remarkable. I bought this collection mainly for inspiration.

Step, Edward. Wayside and Woodland Trees. A Pocket Guide to the British Sylva. Frederick Warne and Company, London, 182 pp. With 175 plates, 25 in colour.
Another enjoyable general account of the natural history of trees, including the uses put to the important types of wood, anecdotes about trees, and quotations from numerous writers, poets, and philosophers, about love and admiration for trees.

Stern, Guy and Wilson, Jim (1995) Landscaping with Native Trees. Chapters Publishing, Shelburne, Vermont, USA, 288 pp. With 175 plates, 25 in colour.
This book is a wonderful resource for anybody who plants trees. The subtitle should be “read this before you dig”. With a brief description of the trees native to northeastern North America and their natural range, they authors have also described how the trees look their best, and during which season, cultivars, as well as any problems encountered during their cultivation. The book also includes a description of the largest specimens and their location, a glossary, names and addresses of nurseries, and bibliography. I was left with two impressions of the authors after having read this book: first, that they have a very deep and profound understanding of the cultivation of these trees, and second, that they really love trees.

Strickland, Dan (1996). Trees of Algonquin Provincial Park. Published by Friends of Algonquin Park, Whitney, Ontario, in cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 40pp.
Informative booklet about the 34 native species of trees which inhabit this 3000 square kilometer Provincial Park. Excellent photos are helpful for identification. Much about the natural history of these trees, as well as the history of the park itself, and the logging which took place there. Some of the photos of giant White Pine, the official tree of the Province of Ontario, provide a glimpse of what the forest must have been like, prior to logging. Very few of the original White Pine trees remain.

Thoreau, Henry David (2001). Walden. Metro Books. Friedman/Fairfax Publishers, New York, 368pp.
Thoreau is the quintessential “back to the lander” who spent two years living in a log cabin he built himself, in the woods near Concord, Massachusetts, in the mid- 1850s. Much more than simply a brilliant natural history writer, he was a scientist in his own right and tried at every opportunity to quantify his observations.

Thoreau, Henry David (1998). Faith in a Seed. Island Press, Shearwater Books, Washington D.C., 210pp plus 53 pages of editors notes.
Although Thoreau wrote his last manuscript, called “The Dispersion of Seeds” in the 1850`s, it was not published until this book appeared in 1998. I found “Faith in a Seed” at a booksellers exhibit that same year, when the book had just been published, at the annual convention of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in Philadelphia. Thoreau was a genius, and the observations he made in the environs of his cabin in Concord, Massachusetts, are truly remarkable. Included in this book is not only his “Dispersion” mansucript, but three other essays including “Forest Trees”, a chronology of his life, and extensive notes by the Editor, Bradley P. Dean. To quote Thoreau: “Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.”  It is truly incredible that the greatest trees on earth, from the tallest redwood to the broadest oak, started out their lives as a tiny seed. Equally as remarkable, Thoreau`s ability to detect and decipher the role of animals such as squirrels and jays, in helping to propogate the nut trees: oaks, hickories, chestnuts, and walnuts.

Toogood, Alan (1990) Collins Garden Trees Handbook. A Complete Guide to Choosing, Planting, and Caring for Garden Trees. Swallow Books, London, 223pp.
An excellent little book which is very helpful with respect to so many aspects of planning, planting, and care of trees. It provides a climate zone map for both North America and Europe, and this has been helpful to me planting trees on both sides of the Atlantic. Here in Bammental, Germany, we are three to four climate zones (!) warmer than Elmvale, Ontario ie winter temperatures here are typically 20 degrees warmer.

Vitale, Alice Thoms (1997) Leaves In Myth, Magic, and Medicine Stewart, Tabori, and Chang, New York, 351pp.
This book is much more than a collection of autoprints of beautiful leaves from a diverse variety of trees, shrubs, and herbs: it is rich in fascinating anecdotes and folklore. Another remarkable book, the author spent most of her life working as a librarian, and published this book, her first, at age 87.

White, J.H. and Hosie, R.C. (1980) The Forest Trees of Ontario, 7th edition, 114pp. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Toronto.
Possibly my first book about trees, this booklet from the OMNR was a very helpful introduction.

White, John (1980) Forest and Woodland Trees in Britain. Oxford University Press, 1995.
Written for the gardener as well as the forester, woodworker, craftsman, and nature lover, this book focuses on the key features of the major forest trees, both native and introduced, including origin and distribution, growth conditions, propogation and management, as well as timber quality and uses. Good book for the young woodworker thinking ahead to supply building materials for his or her retirement!

Wood, Peter (1990) The Tree. A Celebration of our Living Skyline. With an Introduction by Richard Mabey. David and Charles, London, 128pp.
An anthology involving contributions from more than 100 British writers, photographers, and artists, joining efforts to celebrate the beauty and magic of trees and woodlands. The book draws its inspiration from the growing need to help trees and woodlands survive the ravages of winter storms, developers, acid rain, and disease. All royalties went to the Woodland Trust.

Zim, H.S. and Martin, A.C. (1956). Trees. A Guide to Familiar American Trees. Golden Press, New York, 160pp.
A tiny but useful little guidebook to identification, much simplified, but helpful nevertheless. As so many of the dominant, most common tree species are readily disintinguished from one another, a guidebook like this is a great starting point for children.
 

“Of all man`s works of art, a cathedral is greatest. A vast and majestic tree is greater than that”.
 - Henry Ward Beecher