The tree that I chose was an American Beech in Centennial Woods. It was located on the slope of a hill, surrounded by several other beech stems. I could tell it was an American Beech because it had long, skinny, orange-ish buds, as well as smooth, gray, “elephant skin” bark. It also still had a few leaves hanging on, and they were the tell-tale leaves of an American beech. I knew it wasn’t a young maple because of the bark and the buds. The bark of maples is much rougher than that of beech. Also the buds of maples are a different size and shape.
