The Tree Tales

Wander into the forest and spend time among the trees...

Trees feed us, heal, and shelter us. Their branches shelter family picnics and offer nesting areas for wildlife. They produce the oxygen we breathe as they filter pollutants from the air. They produce edible leaves, sap, berries, nuts, and fruit. People have long made medicines from their leaves, roots, twigs, and bark.

Trees offer shade from the summer sun and shelter us from prevailing winter winds, moderating our climate and making our lives more comfortable. They soak up storm water, releasing it back into the sky to form new clouds, supporting the water cycle on Earth.

Research demonstrates the crucial role of trees and forests in supporting people's happiness.We feel less stressed and live healthier, longer lives when trees grow near our homes. Plant trees, and crime goes down in a community even as the children's performance in school improves. Plant trees near a hospital, and patients recover faster. The quality of our lives, as well as the local weather, change quickly and dramatically when we lose our trees. 

Perhaps you have picked up this book because you are interested in trees. It can help you appreciate trees as you have never understood them before.Your time with this book will teach you about many trees already growing near you. It will show you how the trees are connected to the entire web of life on our planet.  And perhaps you will feel inspired to plant a tree or two of your own.

You will discover:

• 25 in-depth articles on specific types of trees and shrubs
• 8 ways to plant your own forest at home
• 17 keystone North American woody genera that are the most valuable to wildlife
• How to propagate trees from seeds and cuttings
• How to choose the best trees for your own yard
• The most reliable ways to plant and care for new trees
• Reasons to plant both native and non-native trees
• How trees restore balance to our ecosystem
• Life lessons from trees
• Why you might want to become a Tree Steward