On a mid-July morning in Corvallis’ Willamette Park, Callie Gunderson’s two-year-old son climbed a maple tree. Gunderson said playing in the park is the best way to encourage him to be adventurous.

In nature, beauty often comes from imperfections. Uneven textures and mottled colors lend depth and character to materials like wood and stone, and people are increasingly looking to bring that ...

Burl wood is turning heads in kitchens with its swirling, unique grain. The good news? You don't need to gut your cabinets or ...

ST. LOUIS — Have you ever wondered what those balls growing on trees are? Well, you’re not alone. They could be quite valuable if you know what to look for. Those mysterious bulbous growths on trees ...

When a tree is under stress from a virus, insect or other cause, it protects itself by developing a burl, an irregular, knobby-looking growth near its base or trunk. When harvested, a cross section of ...

As you glance up into tree limbs, perhaps searching for some sign of spring in a swelling flower bud, your sight might be arrested by fat, rounded growths on the bark. On some trees, these hard, woody ...

One thing I love about living in the age of the internet is that old students can keep in touch much more easily than when I was young-via email or social media. Recently a highlight in this kind of ...

I found this 18-inch-diameter circular bowl on one of my treasure hunts. The reed trim around the top edge is in excellent condition. The patina is gorgeous, and the piece is quite heavy. Perhaps it ...

This undated photo shows a tree with a trunk burl in Rosendale, NY. The fat burl developing on this tree, which does it little or no harm, is valued by woodworkers for its swirling grain. (Lee Reich ...