If I could be reincarnated into any being of my choosing in my next life, I would want to come back as a tree.
One of my favorite placed to hang out when I was younger was underneath this huge, old Weeping Willow tree in our backyard. I would sit against the trunk and read, play, or do little crafts. I remember feeling safe and hidden within the branches, like I was in my own little world. I've always found solitude and peace in forests among the trees. My love and interest in trees is what ultimately made me want to pursue higher education in natural resources!
Virginia is a really cool place to be if you're a tree nerd like me. We are at the Southern-most limit for many North/Northeastern species, the Northern-most limit for many Southern species, the Eastern-most limit for many mountainous species, and the Western-most limit for many coastal species. There are at least 30 native trees present at Banshee Reeks alone!
This presentation lists the species of trees present at BRNP myself and other volunteers have been able to identify (we think there are more hiding!), a more in depth look at some species you will likely run into walking around the property, and helpful tools, tips, & info you can use when attempting to make an identification on your own - enjoy (as always, click the Gear to display Speaker Notes for more in depth information)!