Date: Saturday, April 28th & Sunday, April 29th
Time: 10am-3pm
Location: Overlook Neighborhood (you’ll receive meeting information upon registration)
$199. Space is limited to 20 students.

Have you ever walked around your neighborhood, or gone on a hike, and wished you knew the names of the trees you saw? Have you ever wondered how they fit into the ecosystem and what uses they have? In this class, you’ll learn to recognize our local trees by close-up details and from a distance. 

Day 1: Tree Patterns. Explore the taxonomy (how plants are classified according to their relationships) and morphology (the form and parts of a plant) of trees and meet our first four plant families, including native and introduced species. Practice using a key to identify tree species. 

Day 2: Tree Communication. Learn how trees interact with each other and other species in the ecosystem, such as pollinators. We’ll discuss the ethnobotany of trees in the Willamette Valley including edible, medicinal, and culturally significant species. Then, we'll take a walk to practice identifying four more tree families. 

What to bring: 

• Notebook, pencil/pen
• Optional texts: Botany in a Day by Thomas Elpel, Pacific Coast Tree Finder by Tom Watts
• Drinking water and a bag lunch, or plan on buying lunch at one of several nearby cafes
• Sun/rain protection and whatever else you need to be comfortable walking outdoors

Mulysa Melco is an ecological landscape designer, horticulturist, and artist with a lifelong passion for plants and exploring our connection with the land.