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Unlike in the "Wizard of Oz", the Emerald City of Seattle isn't just and illusion, it really is green, and that green comes from the tens of thousands of trees which highlight the unique landscape of Washington's largest metropolitan area. Seattle has a lot of different types of trees working for our wellbeing, and identifying all those trees can be a bit overwhelming. For those wanting to visit some of the more spectacular specimens it can be difficult to find a jumping off point. Fortunately, there are resources to help visitors and community members to this region become avid tree enthusiasts. The pages below contain links to some of these resources which allow better understanding of the types of trees on the UW Campus, in the Botanic Gardens, and in the City as a whole. Happy touring!
Tree Talks:
Tree Talks:
Don't have the time to make it out to see the trees on the campus? Feeling like binging YouTube Videos instead? The Tree Talks with Theo Hoss series offers an in depth look at the lives of trees, including many species local to Washington State. Take a moment to find out how to identify the members of a forest, and learn about ecological processes that define the biological world with these informative videos!
This page provides an opportunity to learn about ecosystem services, the direct and indirect contributions of the ecosystem to human wellbeing. In addition to diving into how the trees of the UW campus provide benefits for the community each and every day, this page also includes information on just how much the trees are doing for us in terms of carbon dioxide capture and storage, avoided runoff, pollution removal, and oxygen production. Trees in cities provide all kinds of benefits to the community, including improved physical and mental health, cleaner air and water, and habitat for other urban life. For more information on the benefits of trees in cities, visit the Vibrant Cities Lab website!
Tree Activism:
Tree Activism:
The urban Forest in Seattle and the Puget Sound is in decline, with a significant loss of canopy cover and significant trees over the past decade. Many groups in the Seattle area are dedicated to ensuring that development does not come at the cost of the very beings that make the Emerald City what it is. Citizen science, the collection of data by the general public, can be of huge benefit to these efforts and helps us to better understand just how valuable trees are to our city. To contribute to an effort to inventory the most significant of the city's trees, and to learn more about how everyday people can work to support the urban forest visit The Last 6000 campaign, which is seeking to document the largest and most impactful trees of the region to ensure that they are preserved for future generations of residents.
This page contains a map of the UW Campus with the approximate location and name of over 9000 trees. Created by the UW Grounds, it is a great jumping off point for identifying trees of the University of Washington not found on the tour. Additionally, the page contains maps of the Trees in the Washington Park Arboretum and a map of Seattle street trees, and great resource for identifying trees all around the city of Seattle. The City of Seattle also offers numerous programs oriented around their goal to achieve 30% canopy cover in the city by the year 2037, including a program that allows residents access to free trees!
This page contains some of the vocabulary words used to describe different features of leaves and stems one would encounter on trees. It is a great resource when using a guide book and helps highlight important features to watch for.
This page provides and link to the Arboretum Tree Tours to allow visitors to the Washington Park Arboretum to learn more in depth about the enormous variety of specimens found there.
Douglas-fir linoleum block print carved by Della Taylor Hoss for the book "Trees of Yosemite" during the time in which C. Frank Brockman was Head Naturalist in the Park.
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