Since the University of Guam Press released the revised edition of “Trees and Shrubs of the Mariana Islands” in September, many people have expressed their appreciation in having an accessible reference for plants in the region. The CHamoru District Boy Scouts of America, for one, used the book to identify native and toxic plants during a scavenger hunt held in December in Hagåtña.

“As part of rank advancement, the boys need to learn to identify at least 10 local plants and have an understanding of the dangers of hazardous plants,” said Roy Tsutsui, Boy Scouts volunteer. “These requirements have been a significant challenge because there are not many people available who can take boys on tours to show them the plants.”

Tsutsui said the plant identification book made that requirement much easier.

Originally published in 1991 by the late Lynn Raulerson, a former University of Guam professor, and science educator Agnes F. Reinhart, the book has been out of print for years.

 

“As part of rank advancement, the boys need to learn to identify at least 10 local plants and have an understanding of the dangers of hazardous plants.”

 

“The College of Natural & Applied Sciences, with permission from Reinhart, decided to revise and update the nomenclature and photographs. We are gratified to hear that the Boy Scouts have put it to good use,” said Lee S. Yudin, dean of CNAS.

Tsutsui is a UOG alumnus, and Raulerson was one of his main professors. He credits her with teaching him everything he knows about plants. During his studies he also had a part-time job at the Guam Herbarium, curated by Raulerson during her years at UOG. Tsutsui worked on collecting and processing plants from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands for leukemia research.

“Trees and Shrubs of the Mariana Islands” serves the needs of teachers, students, biologists, tourists, nature lovers, and the general public who wish to learn more about the island’s native and naturalized trees. The laminated pages allow the book to be used as a field guide rain or shine. It can be found at the Triton Store, other local bookstores, and at www.uog.edu/uogpress.

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About University of Guam Press
The University of Guam Press publishes an array of academic and literary books and journals with a specific focus on the unique history, environment, peoples, cultures, and languages of the islands that make up the Western Pacific region. UOG Press strives to increase the availability of exceptional scholarly and literary texts that can be used as learning resources about Guam and Micronesia for people and institutions in the region and throughout the world.