Identifying Native Trees

Handmade Journal

5.5" x 8.5"

Uni-ball Pen and Pencil Crayon

I have begun a project to learn about the trees native to the Vancouver area, where I live.  I live within biking distance of Queen Elizabeth Park, which has an arboretum, so I thought I would start there.

"The arboretum was started with a grant from the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association (CPPA) in 1949. The first plantings were done on the north slopes of the park by a group of Junior Forest Wardens. They began by planting blocks of timber species such as ponderosa pine, subalpine spruce, and Douglas fir. Annual donations of $5,000 (the equivalent of $50,000 today) were made by the CPPA until the mid-1950s to continue the development and planting of the arboretum. Most of the larger trees in the park are now about 60 years old.

The objective of the arboretum was to grow examples of every Canadian tree species, with emphasis on those of commercial importance. However, this narrow focus on Canadian species was soon expanded to include exotic trees from around the world because it was found that many boreal forest species did not grow well in Vancouver’s mild climate.

Planting continues to this day to further the legacy of what has been called  “Canada’s first Civic Arboretum". There are now about 1,500 trees." (source:  Vancouver City website. Click this link to read lots more interesting history of the park.)