With a third of the world’s 60,000 species of trees threatened or endangered due to the activities of man, it is critical that we recognize, cultivate, protect and nurture them. Toward that end, ecologist Paul Smith has compiled this hefty volume of lavishly illustrated stories about hundreds of trees, celebrating their beauty and diversity.
Organized according to a tree’s life cycle — from seeds to roots and from leaves to wood, flowers, and fruit — this book explores the science, art, and culture of trees with brilliant photographs, illuminating infographics, and meticulously researched text.
Smith serves as secretary-general of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), which publishes the “State of the World’s Trees Report.” He was formerly the head of the Millennium Seed Bank of the Royal Botanic Garden in Kew and editor of The Book of Seeds, published by the University of Chicago Press.
