The purpose of this activity is designed to increase your awareness and knowledge of trees. One of the easiest ways to tree identification is by its leaf or needle. There are two families of trees, the deciduous, which lose their leaves seasonally, and the coniferous, which remain green all year round. A wider leaf surface makes deciduous tree leaves very fragile so they cannot withstand cold temperatures. This is the reason they shed their leaves during the cooler seasons. Many well-known trees of this type include all varieties of maple, oak, ash and birch, among others. The coniferous trees have needlelike or scale-like foliage and usually renew many leaves annually (but not all every year). Most but not all conifers have cones but junipers and yews produce berry-like fruit. Despite their differences, conifers and deciduous trees have a few similarities. Both make their food and produce oxygen through photosynthesis. This process is essential for planet life. Also, both types of trees provide wooden construction materials, fuel, and paper.
