Bob/Larry- I am among those who've not seen the Sibley Guide either. To respond to the question, what to say in review of, I have some very general thoughts.
First, consider your audience...they're going to be people just like you and us. They'll appreciate helpful tips and suggestions, as it's everybody's goal to have the best possible guide. Second, consider your publisher...they've been around awhile and developed certain expectations from their viewing public, from my own experience, who've a fairly high standard. It might be helpful to spot check several years of the 'Bulletin' for a sense of those expectations. It often came up in literature searches when I was doing grad work in forestry at UMASS, and its contents were always solid, reputable, respected. Third, know that no matter how thick-skinned authors get, they're just like us too...lay your comments on them like you'd like them laid on you...unlike the internet, and forums we have known in the past, this isn't the time or place to vent or flame one's passions...but an opportunity to put in "a good word" for one's passions, one's advocacy when it's cogent. Fourth, remember in our advocacy, that we've (ENTS) not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal yet, and we want to be treated in a constructive professional manner when we put out the ENTS measurement tome in the making, that you are about to review. In a related but separate comment, I would like to voice my own preferences in a 'tree guide' for any locality or region. Drawing (pun intended, I guess...:>) on illustrations in my favorite western tree guide (Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope, George B. Sudworth), I don't miss color photography hardly at all, in view of the detailed structural detail available in the pen and ink drawings. I'm currently in travel mode and not able to line up a scanner to include an example, but will do so later in the trip if I'm able. I would easily recommend that pen and ink drawings such as in Sudworth at least be incorporated with, if not in place of (should it be either/or), color photography. For that matter, I'd consider adding Sudworth to those guides you already have. Up front in the foreword, it's made clear that this text was for the lay person wanting to learn and the words and phrasing were appropriate to them, rather than the highly specialized terminology used by plant taxonomists (know your audience). Because the West in 1904 (when Sudworth was appointed Chief Dendrologist of the fledgling organization to be called the US Forest Service) had many regional variations in common naming conventions, Sudworth chose those that were either the most descriptive and/or most used over the Pacific Slope)...but recognized other common names in the range listings. There may be tree guides out there that have more extensive and detailed range descriptions, but I've not seen them...expecially worth noting because these were collected within a decade, from Baja California to British Columbia, when transportation modes were limited to horseback and horse drawn wagons. Sudworth also adds 'Occurence' and 'Longevity' and 'Distinguishing Characteristics' sections with each species. Hope this has been helpful, and not overlong! -Don > Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:40:42 -0800 > Subject: [ENTS] Re: Sibley's Tree Guide > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > > Bob, I have not seen the Sibley Guide. I use several tree books for > field reference. One-A guide to field identification'Trees of North > America by C. Frank Brockman, Two- National Audubon Society Field > Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Region. Three- Guide to > Southern Trees by Ellwood S. Harrar and J George Harrar. All deceit > books, I've learned much from these sources. They have all been > invaluable for in during my learning years. However' I find they > contain a few mistakes. It to me, is difficult to have a field guide > that could contain everything. I'm fortunate to have a good memory, > when I see a photo, drawing, etc., I usually can recall it in the > field with no book. But as I age my ability to do has been > floundering. I'll have to check this new guide out. If you like it > Bob, then it must been good! Larry > > -- > Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org > Send email to [email protected] > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en > To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222986/direct/01/ -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected]
