When amateur arborist John Wesselink strolls through Whatcom Falls Park, he can see the forest for the trees.
But, oh, the trees he sees.
"The beauty of Whatcom Falls Park is that there's such a variety of native woody species. It's loaded with woody botany," said Wesselink, who's leading "Walk our Woods: Trees and Shrubs of Whatcom Falls Park," from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21.
Wesselink said the event will be appropriate for both serious students of botany and a casual observer who wants to know more about the Northwest's native trees. The free tour is sponsored by the Whatcom Museum.
"We will go over some important identifying factors; what makes one tree different from another; and make some comparisons," Wesselink said. "We'll be hitting 49 different woody species - trees, shrubs and a couple of vines."
Among the trees that participants should expect to see, Wesselink said, are native Northwest willows and maples, crabapple, wild cherry, hawthorn and the Pacific yew - a coastal evergreen that bears a scarlet berry.
Wesselink, a 1976 graduate of Western Washington University with a degree in literary history, retired four years ago from the U.S. Postal Service, where he was a letter carrier.
Now, he spends much of his time traveling the country in a VW camper, seeking various trees. He's observed some 780 of the 800 species found in the United States.
The roots of Wesselink's fascination for trees stretch into childhood. He marvels not only at their beauty, but also at how trees remove carbon from the atmosphere, releasing it as oxygen; how they provide shade, shelter, fuel and are used in medicines.
"When I was a kid, when other kids were memorizing birds and baseball players and cars - I was drawn to trees," he said.
"They're not only the oldest things on the planet, they're also the largest. I mean, a sequoia makes a sperm whale look like a punk."
But it was along his postal route through the Columbia neighborhood, which took him through Elizabeth Park, where he developed a deep appreciation for the majestic qualities of various trees. It's also where he met his mentor, James Luce, arborist for the city of Bellingham.
"I was in Elizabeth Park and there was James Luce," Wesselink said. "And I just hit him with all these questions. It was then that I knew that I had found my niche."
Wesselink said a good guidebook for those interested in learning more about trees is "Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast," by Jim Pojar and Andy McKinnon.
He said participants in Sunday's event should be prepared to walk two to three miles. He suggests wearing sturdy shoes and dressing for the weather. If you wish, bring a camera, snacks, water, a notebook for recording your observations, and a magnifying glass for examining specimens in detail.
"A hand lens would be great to bring," he said.
NATIVE TREES
What: "Walk our Woods: Trees and Shrubs of Whatcom Falls Park."
When: 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21.
Where: Whatcom Falls Park. Meet at the old stone bridge near the parking lot at the end of the Silver Beach Road entrance.
Cost: Free. No size limit, but participants are asked to register by calling Mary Jo Maute at the Whatcom Museum, 360-778-8961.
