About Tree Bee
Tree Bee is a tree identification tool used to engage classrooms, families and communities in learning more about the trees and forests in their own backyards. Tree Bee has traditionally ran as a competition for students in grades 4-6, challenging them to learn the variety of trees through in-class resources and hands-on workshops. This tool enables everyone to get outdoors and learn what makes a maple different from an oak, or a spruce from a pine.
Tree Bee is a program of Forests Ontario. Forests Ontario is a non-profit charity dedicated to making Ontario’s forests greener. Our ambitious tree planting initiatives, extensive education programs, and decades of community outreach have helped plant millions of trees in the province each year—and it’s through these efforts that we’re bringing our vision for healthier forests to a new generation of stewards, partners, teachers, and donors.
Heritage Trees
Heritage Trees are also included on the Tree Bee map. Heritage Trees collect and tells the stories of Ontario’s diverse and unique trees and brings awareness to the social, cultural, historical and ecological value of trees. For your tree to qualify, Heritage Trees have to be associated with a historic person or event, or may be growing on land that is historically significant. Candidate Heritage Trees are also assessed for form, shape, beauty, age, colour, size, rarity, genetic constitution or other distinctive features and/or as a prominent community landmark, however its historical or cultural significance is of most importance. For more information about the Heritage Tree program, click here.
Resources
Tree Bee competitions can be brought to your communities! Tree Bee is a great way to bring your community together to learn more about trees through a fun and interactive competition. Check out our Tree Bee Resources to learn more.
Research and Publications
Kershaw, Linda. Trees of Ontario. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, AB. 2001.
Laird, John. Trees in Canada. Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited. 1995.
Photography
Images were provided by partners, and sourced through www.forestryimages.org. Photos are cited.