With all the woody plants leafing out and some still in bloom, the next workshop in the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project’s 2008 series will be on identifying native trees and shrubs. On Saturday, July 26, forest technician Ruth Richman will provide an up-close look at our native woody plants.

The workshop begins at 10am, starting at the nursery, and will be of interest to anyone wanting to learn more about native plants, forest restoration, naturalization or improving wildlife habitat.

Participants will learn easy tips for distinguishing a wide variety of species throughout the year. The nursery and arboretum offer a close look at different types of maples, dogwoods, elders, pines and many other species. A walk on the Homestead trails to look at larger trees and shrubs will follow. This is an excellent opportunity to increase your knowledge of woody plants and make future outings more interesting.

Participants should be sure to bring clothes suitable to weather conditions. There is no admission for the workshop and everyone is welcome.

The workshop is part of an extensive series of outdoor activities at Macphail Woods, a project of the Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island and the Sir Andrew Macphail Foundation. For more information on this or upcoming tours and workshops, please contact Gary Schneider at 651-2575.