PORTLAND – Maine residents and visitors have a chance to learn more about trees, their habits and trees. They can join the Maine Tree Club, an educational project of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Maine Forest Service and the Pine Tree State Arboretum.

The club is designed for people of all ages to learn about trees. Participants will be equipped with practical knowledge and the skills to recognize 50 types of trees over the next two years.

Participants will also receive a hand lens for a close-up look at tree parts and pieces, a notebook, a pocket guide to Maine trees and several practical guides related to tree growth and care.

Much of what people will learn as members of the Maine Tree Club can be applied in their own yard. The annual registration fee is $15 a person, $25 a couple, $30 a family and $60 a group (plus the cost of the hand lens). A limited number of scholarships are available.

Request an informational brochure by calling the University of Maine Cooperative Extension at 1-800-287-1471, e-mailing [email protected], or visiting the Maine Tree Club Web site at umaine.edu/umext/mainetreeclub.