Develop Your Tree Identification Skills

Whether you find yourself walking down a city street, through an urban park, or in a secluded forest, trees are all around you! These massive organisms are incredibly bio-diverse, beautifully complex, and crucial to life on our planet. In this course, develop the skills you need to identify a wide variety of North American trees* and explore fascinating details of their life histories.

*This course will focus on the most common trees in Ontario, many of which are also distributed widely in other parts of North America.

Looking up at the underside of back-lit birch leaves and branches.

Course Curriculum

    1. A Welcome Message from the High Park Nature Centre

    1. Module 1: What are Trees!

    2. Quiz: Module 1

    1. Module 2: Tree Identification - Part 1

    2. Quiz: Module 2

    1. Module 3: Tree Identification - Part 2

About this course

  • $49.00
  • 6 lessons
  • 1.5 hours of video content

  • Why are Trees Important?

    Learn how trees play a vital role in forest ecosystems, and how they interact with other plants, animals, and fungi!

  • How Do Trees Survive Winter?

    Discover the ways broadleaf and coniferous trees have adapted to survive extreme winter conditions.

  • How Can You Identify Trees?

    Learn how to identify common Ontario tree species in all seasons!

Instructors

Learn with Mallory & Emily at the High Park Nature Centre!

Mallory Parks

I grew up in a small town, but moved to Toronto for university and have been a city girl ever since. At the University of Toronto I received a BSc and Masters in Forest Conservation, which deepened my love and appreciation of forests and all of nature. My degree ignited my passion for travel, and I have explored cities, forests and wetlands in the Pacific Northwest, New Zealand, Europe, and my biggest love, Latin America. My favourite places are those that have bustling cities and sprawling nature intertwined.

In 2011 I moved to the High Park area and began working at the High Park Nature Centre. I was amazed by the number of species that can be found in the middle of the city, and have been in awe learning the Indigenous history of the land. When I started at the Nature Centre trees were my main thing, but over the years I have developed a keen interest in birds. Though I am no bird expert, I'm here to prove that birding doesn't need to be intimidating! All you need is an interest and willingness to look around and listen.

Emily Beaton

Emily Beaton earned her B.Sc. in Biology from Mount Allison University in 2016, and her M.A. in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology from the University of Toronto in 2017. She has also worked as an outdoor educator at Evergreen Brickworks, and as a tour guide at Rideau Hall and Vimy Ridge. Emily is passionate about science communication and environmental conservation, and feels so grateful to be able to spend her days helping people connect with nature.

Grow Your Tree Indentification Skills!

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