Matt Ritter (born 7 September 1974, in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

) is an author, editor and

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

professor at

California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (California Polytechnic State University, Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, California or California State Polytechnic Univ ...

. He specializes in cultivated

trees In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are u ...

, and is an expert of the genus ''

Eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...

''. Ritter is a former Editor-in-Chief of '' Madroño'', the journal of the

California Botanical Society The California Botanical Society was founded by Willis Linn Jepson in 1913, since when it has advanced the knowledge of botanical sciences in the Western United States Services The society services are: the journal ''Madroño'', published since ...

. He is the California coordinator of the Official

National Register of Big Trees The National Register of Champion Trees is a list of the largest tree specimens found in the United States as reported to American Forests by the public. A tree on this list is called a National Champion Tree. The National Register of Champion Tr ...

and a contributing author to the second edition of the ''

Jepson Manual ''The Jepson Manual'' is a flora of the vascular plants that are either native to or naturalized in California. Botanists often refer to the book simply as ''Jepson''. It is produced by the University and Jepson Herbaria, of the University of C ...

'' of California native plants, and to the Flora of North America projects.

Books

Ritter, Matt (2005) ''Plants of San Luis Obispo, Their Lives and Stories'', Kendall Hunt, Dubuque, IA Ritter, Matt (2011) ''A Californian’s Guide to the Trees among Us'', Heyday, Berkeley, CA Ritter, Matt (2018) ''California Plants: A Guide to Our Iconic Flora'', Pacific Street Publishing, San Luis Obispo, CA/Heyday, Berkeley, CA Ritter, Matt (2020) ''Rainwalkers'', Pacific Street Publishing, San Luis Obispo, CA Ritter, Matt (2021) ''Something Wonderful'', Pacific Street Publishing, San Luis Obispo, CA

Awards

2011 R. W. Harris Excellence in Education Award from the International Society of Arboriculture. 2012

Distinguished Teaching Award 201
California Urban Forests Council
Excellence in Education Award 201

Golden Poppy Award for ''California Plants: A Guide to Our Iconic Flora'' 202
Next Generation Indie Book Award
Finalist for novel ''Rainwalkers'' 202

Shortlisted for novel ''Rainwalkers'' 202
Next Generation Indie Book Award
Winner for Children's Illustrated Picture Book ''Something Wonderful'' 202

Winner for Children's Illustrated Picture Book ''Something Wonderful'' 202
California Urban Forests Council
Excellence in Education Award

External links

Matt Ritter's website

Cal Poly Plant Conservatory website

California Big Trees website

California Botanical Society

Pacific Street Publishing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritter, Matt American botanical writers American magazine editors 1974 births Living people American ecologists Dendrologists Botanists active in California Journalists from California Scientists from California Writers from California California Polytechnic State University faculty People from Sutter County, California 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American botanists American male non-fiction writers