New Illustrated Field Guide to State's Woody Plants Distributed by UA Press

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Ozark Society Foundation has published Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Arkansas, offering the most comprehensive guide to woody plants across the Natural State. The new guide is distributed by the University of Arkansas Press.

The book, which serves as an essential outdoor Arkansas field guide, includes more than 1,500 color photographs, in addition to illustrations and maps. The book is expected to be an invaluable reference for schools, libraries and those interested in the preservation of wilderness and unique natural areas throughout the state.

“Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Arkansas finally gives us the most comprehensive and relevant volume on this topic yet, and we’re so fortunate to bring some of the leading authorities on these topics together for this authoritative book,” said Marvin Schwartz, chair of the Ozark Society Foundation. “It reflects a remarkable partnership of numerous state agencies, universities and nonprofit organizations that made this work possible.”

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Arkansas is co-authored by botanist Jennifer Ogle, collections manager of the U of A Herbarium; ecologist Theo Witsell, chief of research for the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and the curator of the ANHC Herbarium; and Johnnie Gentry, former director and curator of the U of A Herbarium and professor emeritus of biology at the U of A. Collectively, the co-authors have been studying the plants of Arkansas for decades.

The book also includes a foreword by the television host, gardening expert, conservationist and Little Rock native, P. Allen Smith.

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Arkansas includes descriptions of 471 woody plants as well as up-to-date information on species names, ranges and habitats. The book includes updated county-level distribution maps, 21 plates of botanical illustrations and cultural and historical information about the plants and habitats of the state.

The guide is aimed at a wide readership, Ogle said, including hikers, hunters, educators, landscape designers and conservation professionals. “To address the needs of all those groups, we included some technical aspects in the book, such as dichotomous keys and botanical language,” she said, “but we paired those more technical aspects with a glossary, botanical illustrations and detailed, descriptive photographs so that it could be used as a field guide, a desk reference and a textbook.”Ogle said the book is a labor of love: “We wrote this book because we love nature, we love native plants, and in our respective fields, we work to promote the education and conservation of those plants and the unique plant communities and habitats of our state.”

For more information or to pre-order Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines of Arkansas, go to the UA Press website or call 800-621-2736.

About the Ozark Society Foundation: Established as a nonprofit organization in 1975, the Ozark Society Foundation works with the Ozark Society and other organizations to support and promote conservation, education and recreation activity in the Ozark-Ouachita region and surrounding lowlands. The OSF is a major publisher of conservation and nature-related books, having published more than two dozen titles on the topic. More information about the Ozark Society Foundation is available at ozarksociety.net.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3 percent of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.