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18 Arbor Age / April 2014 www.arborage.com TRAINING & EDUCATION TRAINING & EDUCATION B y M i c h a e l " H o u s e " T a i n M ore than a few arborists have been frustrated or amused by the tree identifi cation skills, or lack thereof, of some of their customers, or even fel- low tree care professionals. After all, spending the time and energy to do a free bid on a homeowner- described big pine that just died and lost all its needles, only to realize it's a larch, which loses its needles every fall, can be a little trying. And let's not forget that classic line of many a "tree cutter," the always popular, "Well I don't know what she is, but I'll get her down for you." Knowing what type of tree is being dealt with is obviously im- portant to be considered a tree care professional. After all, vital in- formation such as probable diseases/pests, strength of wood, lifespan, decay resistance, etc. is all learned from identifying the tree in ques- tion. But the opportunity to educate the customer about their tree or trees is also important; and what better way to appear knowl- edgeable and professional than to readily identify the tree and its habits. This doesn't mean that an arborist must know every species of tree in existence. Much as a lawyer might need to refer to case law or a doctor run additional tests, an arborist cannot be expected to immediately identify every individual within the wide variety of cultivars, exotics and ornamentals existing in the landscape. But some level of basic knowledge of tree identifi cation should be part and parcel of every tree crew member's skill set. It's not going to do any good for the foreman to send Johnny B. O'Doughnuts to the backyard to deadwood the maple, only to discover later that Johnny just spent three hours in the oak that wasn't part of the bid. From a safety standpoint, rigging and anchor points in a willow or cottonwood are going to be much different from those in an oak; and if Johnny can't tell the trees apart, rather serious consequences could be the result. There are a wide variety of tools and resources available for tree identifi cation, ranging from the OFG (original forest gangsta) books and guides to the cutting-edge apps on smart phones. But regardless of what tools might be used, some basic un- derstanding of identifying features and principles for tree identifi ca- tion will help speed the learning process along. Form Typically the fi rst thing that will be noticed about the tree is how it is shaped. This, in the context of tree identifi cation, refers to a species' typical shape or outline; and though, in most cases, it should not be considered a defi nitive indicator of a tree's species, as there is certainly more than a little variety among all individuals of the same species, it can certainly start the identifi cation process in a general direction, particularly when viewed from a distance. Bark Getting closer into the tree, the bark is typically noticed next; and although it may not provide every bit of information needed to iden- tify the tree, it can start weeding out the possibilities. The knowledge of different species' typical bark texture, color, and other general char- acteristics can be quite valuable in tree identifi cation; and is very use- ful with larger trees when a visual examination of leaves or buds is challenging. In some cases, trees are readily identifi able simply from their very distinctive bark, but caution should be employed as there are species where the bark can vary with age or environmental conditions. A TREE IS A TREE IS A TREE The importance of tree identifi cation