Meeting:
May 12, 2011
Guest Presenter:
Matt Ritter
Program:
A Californian’s Guide to the Trees Among Us
Dr.Ritter’s presentation was a photographic exposé of the lives and stories of some of the fascinating trees featured in his new book A Californian’s Guide to the Trees among Us – a new natural history and identification guide to urban and suburban trees in California. Those who live in California need not travel to exotic places to see an eclectic mix of trees from all corners of the earth; one only need stroll down a local street and look up. The state’s agreeable Mediterranean climate and rich horticultural history have converged to populate our towns and cities with thousands of different species of native and ornamental trees. Matt used his photographs, insight, and humor to share stories, cultivation and identification tips, and natural history of California’s common and exotic trees. More information on the book can be found at HeydayBooks.com
Matt Ritter studies cultivated trees and trees that escape cultivation. He has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a Ph.D. in plant developmental biology. He is currently a botany professor in the Biological Sciences Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and director of the plant conservatory there. He has authored numerous scientific papers about plants and contributed to botanical references including the upcoming second edition of the Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California and the Flora of North America Project. He holds a Kenan Fellowship at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, is the Ray Collett Visiting Scholar at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, teaches for the Organization of Tropical Studies in Costa Rica, and is the chair of the City of San Luis Obispo Tree Committee.
