Know Your Trees: A Beginner’s Guide to Tree Identification
About this Event
Overview
Course tutor: James Common
Course length: May-July 2027.
Course structure: 6 field sessions
Course cost: £75 NHSN Members / £100 Non-Members
About This Course
How many trees can you recognise? Could you tell an Ash from a Whitebeam, a Lime from a Maple, or a native Oak from one of the many exotic trees planted in our parks and streets?
NHSN's new Know Your Trees course is a friendly, practical introduction to identifying the trees you are most likely to encounter across the North East. Whether you are a complete beginner or already know a few common species but want to feel more confident, this course will help you get to grips with the features that make trees identifiable.
Over seven sessions, we will explore trees in a range of habitats, from native woodland and parkland to urban streets and some of Newcastle's finest collections of exotic trees. We will look at leaves, bark, buds, fruits, twigs and overall shape, learning how to use these features together rather than relying on a single characteristic.
Along the way, we will meet familiar native trees such as Oaks, Birches, Limes, Ashes and Willows, as well as a fascinating range of planted trees including Japanese Maples, Red Oak, Dawn Redwood, Silver Maple, Coast Redwood and Sweet Gum.
Each session will be based outdoors at a different location, giving you plenty of opportunity to practise identifying trees for yourself. We will start with the basics and gradually build your knowledge and confidence, with particular attention to some of the trickier groups and the trees that can be confusing to beginners.
By the end of the course, you should be able to recognise a wide range of common trees and have the skills to tackle unfamiliar species with much greater confidence.
This course will include:
- Key identification features of common trees
- An introduction to some trickier exotic trees
- Tips on distinguishing distinctive species
- Hands-on development of practical botanical skills in the field
Accessibility Information
The course takes place outdoors at a range of different sites, and accessibility will vary between sessions. Walks will generally cover around 1.5 miles, with some uneven, muddy or rough ground and occasional slopes. There are no toilets at some of the sites, so please bear this in mind when planning your visit. If you have any questions about the accessibility of a particular session or have specific access requirements, please get in touch with us before booking and we will be happy to discuss these with you.
Programme of Dates:
1) Common Trees - Iris Brickfield Park
Thursday 27 May, 10 am-12.30 pm
A gentle warm-up focusing on some of our most familiar trees, including three Maples, two Ashes, Whitebeams, Hornbeam, Apples and some of the easier Poplars to identify.
2) Native Woodland - Gosforth Nature Reserve
Thursday 3 June, 10 am-12.30 pm
Picking up where we left off, we’ll explore a typical semi-natural woodland in search of Limes, large Willows, Oaks, an Elm and a duo of native Birches.
3) Parkland - Heaton Park
Thursday 24 June, 10 am-12.30 pm
Introducing some exotics to the fray, we’ll explore a typical example of Victorian parkland in search of three species of Alder, four Limes and Hybrid Black Poplar, before turning our attention to a few easier exotics, including London Plane and Tulip-tree.
4) Exotic Trees & Conifers - Jesmond Dene
Thursday 1 July, 10 am-12.30 pm
This session will focus on some of the seemingly daunting Cypresses, including Red-cedar and Lawson’s Cypress, alongside a few easier conifers. We’ll also take a look at some more familiar exotic trees, including Red Oak, Himalayan Birch, Dawn Redwood and Giant Redwood.
5) Focus on Willows - Big Waters
Thursday 8 July, 10 am-12.30 pm
The elephant in the room when it comes to tree identification, Willows have a rather daunting reputation among botanists. Here, we’ll take a look at four or five of the most familiar species, along with a few common hybrids. We should also have time to explore some Larches and perhaps a conifer or two.
6) Plantations and Refresher - Havannah Nature Reserve
Thursday 15 July, 10 am-12.30 pm
As well as introducing a few new species, including Lodgepole Pine and Sitka Spruce, this session will allow us to catch up on anything we missed and refresh our skills with a representative selection of species from previous trips.
Questions (and identification queries) are welcome at any time by emailing [email protected]. Please read the terms and conditions for NHSN education courses before booking.
Recommended Equipment:
If you have one, please bring a hand lens. If you have a favourite ID guide, please bring it. I would recommend either the WildGuides Tree Guide or, for more complicated groups, a copy of Clive Stace's New Flora of the British Isles (I will have one to hand).
About the tutor:
James works as Ouse Burn Naturalist at NHSN. Outside of work, he is a passionate wildlife recorder with a focus on botany and invertebrates. As a botanist, he is a joint BSBI Vice-County Recorder for North Northumberland and has a particular fondness for ferns, grasses and old woods. You can follow him on LinkedIn & Instagram.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 75.00 to GBP 100.00
