Trees: A Celebration in Photography Book

Graeme Matthews has captured all the majesty of trees in this collection of more than 140 dramatic photographs taken as he traveled the world. The weathered beauty of the 4,500-year-old bristle cone pine, the peaceful grace of the Fontainebleau forest, the strangling tendrils of the banyan fig tree - these are just a few of the images that make this book so extraordinary. Trees includes intimate photographs detailing th e ingenious adaptations that trees have created to survive in their habitats - drip-tip leaves that allow rapid water absorption, thorny trunks that protect the bark from grazing, and thick, fire-resistant bark. Complementing these images are sweeping ones of trees in breathtaking settings, such as the pinon pines standing serenely against the Grand Canyon at sunset and a lone acacia tree defying the elements on a hot Kenyan plain. Trees opens with an informational and thought-provoking introduction by the prominent conservationist Dr. David Bellamy. In it Dr. Bellamy briefly explains the biology of trees and highlights the distinctive features of each category, from the hearty deciduous trees of North America to the exotic spice trees of Sri Lanka. Throughout, he emphasizes the urgent need to conserve the world's existing trees and to foster all trees in the wild and in cultivation. Never before has there been such a comprehensive and dramatic tribute to the splendor and majesty of trees.