Description
California’s trees are more than landmarks on the landscape—they are living archives.
Rooted in place, they carry stories of fire and ice, drought and abundance, human care and human harm. From ancient conifers clinging to alpine ridges to flowering trees shaping valleys and deserts, these species tell the long, intertwined story of land and people.
Rooted In California invites you into that story.
Led by botanists and storytellers Matt Ritter, Michael Kauffmann, and historian Jared Farmer, this five-part webinar series blends clear, accessible science with field experience, history, and deep-time perspective.
Together, we’ll learn how to recognize California’s native trees, understand the forces that shaped them, and consider what responsibility we carry as the next chapter in their lives.
What You Can Expect
- A guided journey through California’s native trees
- Clear, approachable science focused on identification, ecology, and adaptation
- Stories rooted in field experience, cultural history, and deep time
- Visual learning tools including photos, range maps, and practical ID tips
- Live Q&A and conversation each session
- A deeper sense of connection, stewardship, and place
Part 1 — What Is a Tree?
March 2 with Matt Ritter & Michael Kauffmann
An opening session that defines what makes a tree a tree—biologically, ecologically, and culturally—while setting the tone for curiosity, wonder, and connection.
Part 2 — Conifers in Detail: Giants, Ancients, and Endemics
March 9 with Michael Kauffmann
A deep dive into California’s extraordinary conifer diversity, exploring adaptations to fire, fog, snow, and drought, and meeting some of the oldest and rarest trees on Earth.
Part 3 — Flowering Trees in Detail
March 16 with Matt Ritter
An exploration of California’s broadleaf trees, from oaks and maples to desert specialists, with a focus on identification, form, and seasonal rhythms.
Part 4 — Elderflora: Trees, Time, and Memory
March 23 with Jared Farmer
This session slows the clock. Trees live across multiple tempos—annual rings, centuries-old trunks, millennia-old lineages. Through the concept of chronodiversity, we explore how long-lived trees connect ecology, culture, and ethics across deep time.
Part 5 — Big Trees of California
March 30 with Matt Ritter & Michael Kauffmann
A culminating session celebrating California’s biggest trees and forests, reflecting on their legacy, vulnerability, and what it means to care for giants yet to come.
About the Presenters
Matt Ritter
Matt Ritter is a professor of biology, botanist, and widely respected voice in plant identification and education. He is co-author of California Trees: A Guide to the Native Species and author of several books including A Californian’s Guide to the Trees Among Us and Plants of San Luis Obispo: Their Lives and Stories. His work helps people recognize patterns in plant diversity and build confidence in learning the trees around them.
Michael Kauffmann
Michael Kauffmann is a botanist, author, and educator focused on California’s forests, conifers, and fire-shaped landscapes. He is co-author of California Trees: A Guide to the Native Species and has written numerous field guides and natural history books, including Conifers of the Pacific Slope, Field Guide to Manzanitas, and The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History. He is Executive Director of the Bigfoot Trail Alliance and is known for blending field science with storytelling rooted in place.
Jared Farmer
Jared Farmer is an environmental historian whose work explores trees, time, and cultural memory. He is the author of Elderflora: A Modern History of Ancient Trees and Trees in Paradise: A California History. Farmer is known for introducing the concept of chronodiversity, encouraging long-term thinking and care for ancient trees in a rapidly changing world.
Allison Poklemba (Host)
Allison Poklemba is the publisher of Backcountry Press and host of the series. She guides discussion, moderates Q&A, and helps connect scientific insight with accessible storytelling, supporting learning that is grounded, welcoming, and place-based.
flowerlover5656 (verified owner) –
Loved it. Thank you for so much information on CA trees. I am inspired to get out there and see more native species, adopt the closest tree I love, and share this with others.
Maria D’Agostino (verified owner) –
Brilliant, engaging, and fun – I wish there were weeks 6-10, 11-15, 16-20 and on and on… Each zoom meeting was like a special arborist bedtime story!
Cynthia Cohen (verified owner) –
Informative, fun, sometimes sad, expertly coordinated, and suffused with tree love, awe, and wonder. Highly recommended!
Leslie Hart and Paul Marini (verified owner) –
We loved this series. We spend our wedding anniversary every year enjoying the Avenue of the Giants and visit Rockefeller Grove. We never miss the Founder’s Grove and the Dyerville Giant. And we visit the Giant Sequoias in Calaveras State Park regularly. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the presenters who are true professionals and scientists. (We are scientists too.)
colleen (verified owner) –
This five-part series is incredibly in-depth, expanding far beyond the pages of ‘California Trees’.
The class most definitely includes botanical discussions and even more, sincerely encourages all of us to get out and experience trees and nature. Allison, Michael and Matt are a great team.
I wish the class would continue.
Kari E Olsen (verified owner) –
Fantastic series of talks from CA’s biggest tree fans! I feel like I got a personal tour of our state’s trees both geographically and through time. Highly recommended, thoroughly enjoyable.
Jami (verified owner) –
I learned a lot and really enjoyed the lectures! I’m a tree lover but not a scientist or expert, and found this accessible while inspiring deeper exploration, travel, and reading. I really appreciate all the materials Backcountry Press puts out – all high quality, unique and engaging. Thank you! I would love more like this!
Peter Boffey (verified owner) –
Generous policies, friendly people, useful information, abundant pertinent resources, technically seamless Zoom presentation, valuable ‘”deliverables.” What’s not to applaud in this family business with a meaningful vision?
Ignacio Moreno (verified owner) –
It was an amazing presentation. I would definitely recommend to others.
Jane Klein (verified owner) –
Great series! It’s apparent all three of you are passionate and have strong opinions for tree and forest management and we are grateful! It was fun having Jared Farmer as part of the series as well. Thank you Allison, Michael, and Matt. Shout out to Stephanie of LA Tree Tours for the recommendation.
Alice (verified owner) –
It was a very interesting and inspiring series. I learned so much about our beautiful native trees.
Autumn Conover (verified owner) –
Great course with super interesting content and very passionate presenters!
nancy brockington –
a lovely way to spend a monday evening! thank you!
Kevin Carr –
Great opportunity to learn more about the trees and landscapes of California with such a knowledgeable team, extra treat to get arborist CEUs.
John B (verified owner) –
Informative. California is a state full of superlatives and Rooted in California added to the list.
peggy.lopipero.langmo (verified owner) –
I am so grateful that this series was offered on an incredible book with informative, interesting and inspiring presentations by incredible instructors/scientists. I learned so much and so hope that there will be more lecture opportunities. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Sasha Cherkassky (verified owner) –
A fabulously informative, passionate, and thought-provoking foray into the native trees of California and beyond. Each session provides a distinct perspective on its area of focus, while drawing on threads strung throughout. This course has broadened my understanding of what it means to be a tree; why that matters; and how trees are truly aliens in our collective backyard.
Special thanks to Jared Farmer for sharing his world of elderflora and its accompanying questions of treeness, values assigned to oldness, and some of the paradoxes that emerge from the interaction, or lack thereof, between humans and trees.
Thanks to all involved – Allison, Michael, and Matt- for such a delightful and expansive time.
Gina F. (verified owner) –
This class far surpassed my (already-high) expectations. First of all, the logistics were spot on: clear instructions on how to call-in, concise instructions on who/what/where/when, reminder emails, etc. Second, the actual class was moderated very well, and started and ended on-time. I really appreciated that. Third, the presenters and topics were fantastically interesting. I learned so much about California trees (and took so many notes!). And I really loved that all involved (Allison, Michael, Matt) worked well together and obviously had a great respect for each other. It made me feel like I was sitting in on a conversation between super smart tree experts! Also, I have to mention that the 10-things about trees was so moving that it made me cry (in a good way). Thank you so much for the amazing class. I miss our Mondays together already!
Maria Christensen –
Very informative and engaging. I will definetely recommend to watch it and also to consult your books. Loved the change of focus in each session. Thank you Allison, Matt, Micheal and Jared.
Steph (verified owner) –
Amazing class with impressive instructors. I already had books authored by Matt ritter and Michael Kauffman on our coffee table, so getting to learn from them directly was such a treat. I learned so much, and it was also really encouraging to be in a group with other people who care about CA native plants and trees as much as I do!
Janet L. Brown –
The best webinar series I’ve attended in ages! Great topics, great instructors and great host! Also, I signed up for the ISA CEUs and they’ve already posted to my account! Looking forward to more learning opportunities through Backcountry Press!
David Govatski (verified owner) –
This was an excellent series on California trees and biogeography. All the instructors were excellent and the content was rich with information. The stories from the instructors was another aspect that I really liked. I strongly recommend the course for anyone interested in California trees and natural history. This review is coming from someone who lives 3,000 miles from California and only gets there once a year to enjoy the states natural beauty. Adding this series to your digital library will be of benefit to you even after you view it for the first time.