New Tree Identification Resource from the Arbor Day Foundation Now Available to Smart Phone Users

08/19/08
Nebraska City, Neb. (Aug. 19, 2008) – Smart phone users can identify trees anywhere in the United States in just minutes thanks to the Arbor Day Foundation’s new What Tree Is That? mobile version, www.arborday.org/smarttree.

What Tree Is That? mobile is a special version of the Foundation’s new tree identification guidebook, and loads quickly on virtually any smart phone. The site is specifically tailored for the small screen, so users can identify species while they’re enjoying a nearby park or traveling to distant destinations in the U.S. where trees may be unfamiliar.

Everyone who has a smart phone can benefit from What Tree Is That? mobile. Amateur conservationists can identify tree species in just a few moments whether they’re in a forest, a park or even while walking along tree-shaded streets. Teachers can use it to bring the classroom to the natural world, teaching children about specific trees and helping students connect to the natural world with the help of technology.

What Tree Is That? mobile will help an average person identify trees with just a few clicks on the internet. It features advanced botanical illustrations of many distinctive characteristics of many species of trees in full color. This site is one of the most user-friendly resources recreational and professional arborists alike can have at their fingertips.

The site features beautiful illustrations in precise detail to depict natural colors, shapes, and textures, so smart phone users can make a positive species identification in just a few easy steps.

“People can identify trees just by using their smart phones,” said John Rosenow, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Helping people enjoy and appreciate trees is central to the educational mission of the Arbor Day Foundation, and now being able to identify a tree is just a few clicks away.”

What Tree Is That? mobile uses a unique step-by-step approach, explaining what to look for while determining the species of a specific tree, such as the shape of the leaves, the differences in the leaf stems and twig structures, the fruits and flowers, and the details of buds and bark.

To check out What Tree Is That? mobile, go to www.arborday.org/smarttree.

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About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation organization of nearly one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.