This course is a repetition of last spring’s course focusing on trees and their role in ecosystems. With Irmgard, delve into the biology of trees, trying to answer questions like …

How do white pines, oaks and date palms differ from one another?

How does a tree form a branch, and why do palm trees have no branches?

Why could one build a tunnel through a giant Sequoia in Yosemite’s Mariposa grove without killing the tree?

What happens in the fall when leaves change their color?

What are the advantages of different bark types?

What makes a forest?

Are all forests “created equal”?

What is an urban forest?

How were trees incorporated into city planning and why?

The class will arrive at answers through lectures supported by PowerPoint presentations (which will be shared after the presentation by email) and personal observations, supported by various wood and eclectic tree products invariably picked up in backyards or on walks.

This class will include lecture and group activities. Optional short walks after class and voluntary excursions like a tree walk on the campus of Bucknell, Dale’s Ridge, and/or R.B. Winter State Park may be added to round out the experience. It is hoped that students will walk away from this course with a heightened appreciation of trees.

Participants are expected to have an email address for communication.