Alec Newlands

I appreciate the excellent pictures of the bark of mature and young trees. The difference in textures can be quite stark. Downside: I live in western New York state near Lake Ontario and consider myself in the "Northeast". However be warned this guide considers only eastern New York state and New England to be "Northeast". Inside the actual book, it is clear about its geographical scope right up front, but since I purchased it online I did not discover that until it arrived. I intend to keep it because many of the trees of course also occur in my area, and it is an excellent quality guide. It is a shame however that the author did not choose to extend his geographical scope to include my area. Some of my favorite native trees can appear here (outside their "normal" ranges) because of the moderating influence of Lake Ontario such as the Sourwood (my favorite tree because of its yearlong beauty) and the Persimmon (for its ripe fruit). Also, as a member of the American Chestnut Foundation, I need to make it clear that the American Chestnut is coming back soon to a forest near you!