This home page for the Dendrology program at Virginia Tech is a great resource for those interested in woody plants. In addition to the set of fact sheets on over 450 tree species and fall color photos for many species, the site hosts two useful identification keys. The Leaf Key and Twig Key allow users to identify a tree by viewing online photos and statements, and clicking on the choice that...

Based in Portland, Oregon, the Friends of Trees organization is dedicated to restoring urban forests around the country, with a particular emphasis on the Portland metropolitan area. As their Web site notes, "Trees are an essential part of the urban ecosystem. They help keep our water and air clean, prevent erosion, provide wildlife habitat, and make neighborhoods greener, more beautiful places to...

On this definitive site for researchers in the field of dendrochronology, Henri Grissino-Mayer (formerly of Valdosta State University, Georgia) has a useful and practical list of tools for conducting field and laboratory research. In addition to a hypertext-linked list, the site includes helpful tips to help make the task of tree-ring dating easier.

From the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, this site offers ten great lesson plans for teachers of elementary grades to use in their classes. The site is divided into two parts, Student's Guide and Teacher's Guide, and all necessary resources are provided for all of the lessons. Also available is a tree-related glossary for the students. The only link not working currently is the Trees of...

To many, they are one of the first, sweet smells and sights of spring. Magnolias! And this site of Magnolia Society International is the online home of "a worldwide organization devoted to the appreciation and study of magnolias." This exceptionally comprehensive site offers all sorts of information, ranging from details about research funds, related publications, care and propagations of...

This website is for those who have trees, tree care problems, or those seeking general information on tree services. On the left-hand menu of any page, visitors will find such information as diseases, insects and removal, as well as information on identification, care and pruning. Visitors shouldn't miss the link for Sudden Oak Death, which is under the "Tree Diseases" section. The link explains...

Some people hunt animals and others hunt for trees. In this National Public Radio story, one in a special series called Big Trees and the Lives They've Changed, Ketzel Levine accompanies the foremost big tree hunter into the forests of the northwest. While they do find some big trees, it's what they don't find -- the absence of big trees -- that's most illuminating. By big, we're talking trees...

Teacher and Gingko enthusiast Cor Kwant, from the Netherlands, offers this comprehensive Web site devoted to Gingko biloba. This frequently updated site covers just about everything there is to know about this "unique tree, a living fossil, unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs." Visitors may read about gingko history, propagation techniques, botanical characteristics, various uses, and much...

This Topic in Depth explores some of the diseases and other threats that certain trees must contend with to remain healthy and vital. The first website (1), from the USDA Forest Service-St. Paul Field Office, contains a collection of archived publications designed to help people diagnose, control, and identify various threats to different types of trees. Examples of these publications include: How...

As part of the University of California Cooperative Extension, the Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory conducts research "focused on the diagnosis and management of tree diseases and on the development of valuable non-timber forest products such as mushrooms." The Laboratory website includes information regarding ongoing research projects as well as information about faculty and student...