"What are the lives of trees, of conifers, like?. . .

How do seedlings establish and develop into saplings?

How do some seedlings stay alive for decades, marking time in the deep shade of the forest?

How do the distinctive forms of saplings of the different species arise?. . .

When, how, and where do cones come from?

What is the sex life of a conifer?

Where does pollen come from?

What does pollen do?"

- From the Introduction

A comparative account of the coniferous trees indigenous to Northeastern North America

Extensively illustrated with full-colour photographs, diagrams, and drawings by the author, Graham R. Powell's Lives of Conifers examines the complex and fascinating life cycles of the 12 coniferous trees that grow naturally in northeastern North America on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.

Tracing their development from seeds and seedlings, to saplings, through the pole stage to maturity, old age, and death, the book is designed to pro-vide a comparison of each species at each stage of life, thus aiding in the recognition and identification of species at all stages of their existence. It includes descriptions of developmental processes and how they differ among the species.

The species covered in the book are: the balsam fir, eastern hemlock, tamarack larch, eastern white pine, jack pine, pitch pine, red pine, black spruce, red spruce, white spruce, eastern juniper, and eastern thuja.

The book is based almost entirely on what is visible to the careful observer in the forest, and includes only the parts of trees that can be seen above ground. Lives of Conifers will appeal to forest scientists, forestry students, foresters, forest technologists, botanists, horticulturists, arborists, naturalists, and general readers interested in knowing more about their natural surroundings.

Graham R.Powell
earned his B.Sc. in Forestry at the University of Edinburgh, his MSc.in Forest Ecology at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton,and his Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh.Professor Powell taught at the University of New Brunswick for 34 years,10 of those as the school's Director of Graduate Studies. In 1997, he was appointed Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management at the university.

Graham R. Powell's profile page

"Powell expertly describes and differentiates how each conifer's uniqueness informs it growth and development. . . Powell must be commended on the pictures and illustrations in the book. Most of the pieces in the book come from his research, collections, and aid from his students. Wonderfully photographed, they capture the delicacy and complexity of each stage of development. . . If you are a student of nature it is a valuable resource for study."
— The Daily Gleaner (New Brunswick)

"This valuable book by Graham Powell is essentially a life history of conifers combining details from twelve species... Illustration is excellent and extensive, the text is clearly written... Northeasterners who have these trees nearby are most fortunate to have this fine synthesis. Conifer aficianados outside the range of the species Powell describes can only be envious."
— TAXON - Journal of the IAPT (International Association for Plant Taxonomy)