Trees of Michigan and the Upper Great Lakes [Paperback]

Norman F. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 1997

Of Michigan's great wealth of natural resources, few have been more important in the past or are more highly valued today than our forests and the trees which compose them. Not only are they a continuous source of raw materials for industry and agriculture but they affect the climate, water resources, and soil, purify our air, furnish food and shelter for wildlife and are indispensable to our vast recreational and scenic areas. They form a basic part of our diverse natural environment - our ""biodiversity."" Their protection and management are vital to the state's wellbeing. Industries which depend upon trees for their existence are major employers and rank high in the state's economy. The annual production and manufacture of forest products is measured in billions of dollars. The recreation ""industry,"" including vacation travel, resorts, food, lodging, hunting, fishing, and camping, is likewise a multi-billion dollar a year business. Equally important is the intangible wealth which trees bring to us through sheer enjoyment of beauty and love of nature. Whether in field, fencerow, woodlot or forest, or along highways, rural roads, urban streets, or greenbelts, this bounty is ours for the taking. We have only to picture ourselves without trees to appreciate this value.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Norm Smith is a native of Ann Arbor and a graduate forester, with A.B., B.S.F., and M.F. degrees from the University of Michigan, where he specialized in forest management and forest recreation. His career with the Department of Natural Resources spanned the years from 1937 to 1976, including 27 years with the Forestry Division in Lansing during which time he was involved with forest use planning and development. He played a direct role in the growth of the State Forest campground system in the 1950s, in the establishment of scenic forest drives and riding and hiking trails, and in the preparation of informational material. From 1964 until his retirement in 1976 he was Chief of the Office and Planning Services, responsible for the development of the first statewide Michigan Recreation Plan, and for initiating the Natural Rivers and Wilderness and Natural Areas programs. In 1966 he was appointed to the State Board of Registration for Foresters, and served as a member for 10 years. Norm is a collector of old things, and his office in his home in East Lansing contains such forest memorabilia as log marks from the early lumbering days and antique wooden tools. His interest in exploring the history and uses of trees and in tree photography were both a hobby and an avocation throughout his career. The first edition of Michigan Trees Worth Knowing was published in 1948 by the Conservation Department, now the Department of Natural Resources. The book was enlarged in subsequent editions. Color was introduced in 1978 with the addition of a section on Small Trees. This edition is completely in color.

Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press; Revised edition (May 12, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882376080
• ISBN-13: 978-1882376087
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Plants > Trees

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Trees of Michigan and the Upper Great Lakes, June 24, 2000

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"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trees of Michigan and the Upper Great Lakes (Paperback)

This book is excellent for learning more about specific trees of the Great Lakes Region. It goes into much more detail than any field guide will ever tell you. The book spends 2 pages per tree, detailing the life history characteristics and typical habitats that the trees will be found in. I particularly like the fact that for each tree you can see a photo of the entire tree, as well as close ups of the bark and leaves (sometimes fruit too). The book provides satisfactory descriptions for identifying trees; however, does not provide any way to "key out" trees, so you must have some idea what you are looking at before you refer to the book. As a student in Ecology, I have found this book ten times more valuable than the price; however, I found that I needed an additional field guide to key out unknown trees in the field.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Detailed Descriptions, Limited Number of Trees, October 6, 2009

By 

Charles D. Pearson "Chuck Pearson" (Adrian, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Trees of Michigan and the Upper Great Lakes (Paperback)

There are a lot of trees at Ives Road Fen Preserve in Southeast Michigan. This book provides detailed information on identification, history, habitat, pests and diseases, and economic uses of 81 species, along with multiple color photographs of each tree. It is excellent information for the trees covered but there are more than 81 species of trees in Michigan. The former title of this book was Michigan Trees Worth Knowing, making it more clear that it doesn't cover every tree in Michigan. I recommend this book for detailed information on the trees and Trees of the Northern United States and Canada for identification. That book contains information on 300 species, although some of them are only found in the west.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Small Book, October 3, 2009

By 

Glen R. Carpenter (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Trees of Michigan and the Upper Great Lakes (Paperback)

As a first time summer seasonal visitor to Northern Michigan, I was interested in learning about the trees of the area. This book is in color and makes it easy to identify the trees of the area. There also is useful information on the lifecyle of forests and history of the area from a fauna viewpoint.