Accomplished arborist Casey Clapp is a major environmental advocate for urban forestry. He’s also the co-host of the entertaining podcast “Completely Arbortrary.” Throughout his professional career, he noticed a need for a modern field guide dedicated to urban and suburban trees in the Pacific Northwest. “The Trees Around You” covers more than 300 species of trees and makes tree identification accessible and engaging for nonexperts—meaning your neighborhood trees, the ones you see daily, not just “deep forest” species. The greatest tree identity diversity in the book is largely across Washington and Oregon, but the book is also helpful throughout most of Idaho, Montana and British Columbia.
Many field guides or flora and fauna books fail because they are twice as thick as this one and try to cover too much area. Sometimes writers aim to cover all the species in North America or provide a complete guide to every species on the Pacific West Coast. This book succeeds with hundreds of photographs and line drawings, plus the book offers strong visual support for step-by-step identification. This helps a lot when you’re examining bark, leaves or cones. The book features several hand-drawn illustrations and more than 1,400 photos in 400 pages.
Even within the Pacific Northwest, tree appearances can vary due to factors such as microclimates and cultivars versus wild trees. As with any field guide, expect to adapt and verify in the field.
This guide builds beginners’ confidence by providing the tools and steps to start identifying regional trees. Any nature enthusiast, gardener or landscaper will appreciate the book, which would make a great gift for anyone living near Spokane’s Manito Park or Finch Arboretum.
