Once again, I took my little buddy out to our study site along with the LeafSnap app we were able to identify many tree species around the lake. I did notice it was significantly more difficult to identify most trees based on their leaves and bark alone. Trees that had flowers or fruits(seeds) were much more easy to identify. Catching these trees and bushes at their peak, often spring flowers or fall fruits, nuts, acorns, or seeds would be the best time to confirm identification. However, I think with additional research at home after many picture and screenshots of LeafSnap possible identifications, I feel confident on likely all but about four species.
Dendrology is the study of trees.
Resources:
Leafsnap - Plant Identifier App, Top Mobile App for Plant Identification. (2023). LeafSnap - Plant Identification. https://leafsnap.app/