Books:
Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast
Drawing Trees and Leaves
Co-author with illustrator and writer Julia Kuo
Articles – Illustrations – Photos:
The Language of Trees: On a Walk with Rutherford Platt – from American Forests Magazine
In the winter of 1929, Rutherford Platt went for a walk in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden with noted botanist, Dr. Arthur Graves. As his mentor began pointing out the buds along the leafless tree branches, Platt was astonished — he had always supposed that buds appeared in spring, just before they bloomed. . . Read ... (more)
Buds: Spanning the Seasons – from The Outside Story (syndicated newspaper column)
The sign in the window, which read, “Clearance! Hats and Gloves 50% off,” puzzled me. Snowflakes swirled on gusty winds. The bitter cold stung my fingertips—I wondered if I should buy warmer gloves while I had the chance. Clearance? Temperatures hadn’t climbed above freezing for days . . . Read the Article (more)
The Language of Bark – from American Forests
I spot the neon-orange flag, unmistakable among the more earthly hues of October leaves, and crash through the underbrush to reach it. I quickly begin cataloguing the surrounding trees. On a low-hanging branch, I find familiar looking needles and record eastern hemlock on my data sheet. I peer up through binoculars to recognize the leaves ... (more)
Identifying Ash and Maple in Winter
— Illustrations and photos from AMC Outdoors Magazine Read the article (more)
Getting to Know Bark – from Northern Woodlands
As the vibrant colors of fall give way to the more subtle hues of winter, tree bark becomes a focal point in the forested landscape. The splendid contrasts of bark are highlighted by the low-riding winter sun – the white, curly strips of paper birch juxtapose with the dark, burnt cornflake scales on black cherry; ... (more)
Bark for All Seasons – from the Hampshire Daily Gazette
As tree buds unfurl in spring, they cast sweet hues of yellow, pale green and red in the canopies of our local forests. Soon after, this new growth matures into a kaleidoscope of dense greens. This is the season when deciduous trees seem to come back to life, when they transform from a blur of ... (more)
Interviews:
- A Closer Look at Tree Bark – Read a transcript of Michael’s conversation with Margaret Roach on her blog, A Way to Garden.
- Michael speaks with Francesca Rheannon about his book, Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast, on Writer’s Voice (begins at minute 29).