Identifying trees in the winter without the benefit of seeing their leaves? A fun challenge! A few trees have distinctive "nametag" characteristics but many others require observation with a hand magnifier coupled with a written guide to determine their identity. Learn secrets to identifying many Iowa trees during the dormant season so that you can all the more appreciate them when they "wake up" in the spring, already knowing what they will be. In Part I, we cover major tree features you can use for identification such as color and texture of the bark and overall tree shape. Part II will cover minor tree features such as site conditions and twig detail. Sponsored by Des Moines Park and Recreation.
