What is the best tree field guide?

A good tree field guide should help you identify a tree while you are out and about, whether it is in leaf or not, in a park or woodland, and even in the distance. A field guide should work for anyone, whatever their experience or knowledge. It should not be so large or heavy that is discourages the user to take it into the field. A field guide should also help you learn more about a tree when you have identified it, providing information about its growing characteristics, how it reproduces, the places where it is most likely to be found, its timber and more.

But these are just my views. What do you think?

Research

I’m currently researching tree field guides and invite you to share your views with me about you think makes a good tree field guide. My particular interest is in field guides for trees found in Britain or Europe, but if you have a favourite field guide from North America, Australia or elsewhere which you think I could learn from, please do take part by sharing your views.

Popular tree field guides

Currently, some of the most popular field guides for trees found in Britain and Europe are:

1. Trees: A Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe (Photographic Guide ) by John White et al. Oxford University Press
2. Kingfisher Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Europe. D. A. Sutton. Kingfisher.
3. British Trees: A photographic guide to every common species. Paul Sterry. Collins.
4. Collins Tree Guide. Owen Johnson.
5. Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe. Alan Mitchell. Collins Field Guide.

Take part

I have created a short survey to help collect the views of regular readers and those of anyone else who comes across my website. There is a plenty of space for you to share your views in as much detail as you wish, or you can simply check a few boxes. I’m really interested in reading your thoughts on what makes a great tree field guide.

Thank you for taking part.