New York City Trees

by Edward Sibley Barnard

If you're not a tree lover now, this pocket-sized gem--dedicated to the idea that every species of tree has a story and every individual tree has a history--will make you one. Produced in consultation with the City's Parks and Recreation department and the New York Tree Trust, this book is a reference to the stories of New York City's trees, complete with photographs, tree silhouettes, leaf and fruit morphologies, and charming and informative explanatory texts. It is divided into four sections: "The Best Places to See Trees," full of insider's tips and helpful maps; "New York City's Great Trees," a directory of the oldest, strangest, most beautiful trees; "The Tree Guide," arranged for ease of identification by leaf shape and size; and, finally, "Sources and Resources" for future investigation.

With over 700 beautiful color photographs, drawings, and detailed maps, this is the ultimate field guide to the trees of the Big Apple and the metropolitan region.

Genres: Nature, Plants, Travel, New York, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Nora Rawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not finished this book in the conventional sense but it's the best resource to carry around for tree identification! I could do with larger entries on tree types and more images across seasons and fewer tree walks however.

**edit 12/30/21: I had to go back and make this 4 stars because it lacks some things I would really like (images of notable fruits or beans etc), and a few areas really ought to be expanded ('foreign elms'???). Still great, just am realizing no guide is going to have it all!

[Cliff Landesman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! It truly opened the world of trees for me. Only in New York City would one find a book like this. It has allowed me to gently learn to identify trees. But more importantly, it has introduced me to individual trees, their stories, and has inspired me to want to learn more.

My approach is to pick a species, visit an area where the species is well represented, and build a field trip around that one species. This works better for me than a walking tour where one encounters a multitude of species. After acquiring a basic understanding of common species, I will be ready for a walking tour.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your into botany and live visit NYC then this is the book you need! New York City Trees is a fun and descriptive book that helps you to identify the trees you will see in the area. Some of the features you will find in this book to help you are Photographs of trees, a map where in NYC you can find them growing, a list of local Parks and the tree species found there, and description history of each tree species. This book is easy to read and use so even if your a novice with trees you will have no trouble finding the exact tree your seeing in the book.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

this fantastic guide includes indigenous and non-indigenous species. organized by leaf type & sized for a coat or bookbag pocket, it's very handy, maybe even essential for the amateur urban naturalist. i picked it up at the american museum of natural history but i've also seen it at bookcourt in brooklyn.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best up-to-date book on the trees of NYC. It's portable and even has ten tree walks in and around the city. Wish he would do one for SF.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing resource

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the idea of a tree walk. This book helped me study for my Citizen Pruner Brigade exam. I hope I passed. If I didn't, it wouldn't be the fault of this fine small guide and its clear presentation of NYC tree-ness. I can only hope for a newer edition.