Hi all! I live in northern BC, Prince George and have been doing this extra credit project. Suddenly the teacher wants us to identify it! I am pretty good with twig identification but this one is hard. I'm like 99% sure its not a birch. Any help!? Its planted on a university campus so its likely not native.
I think that would be challenging for most people. I am not that good with buds. When I want to ID a tree in the winter, I look for clues on the ground. You may not find anything in such a maintained landscape, but you might find a fruit or a dried leaf, which could make ID easier.
Your shots are much too distant for anyone to be sure here. And isn't asking here cheating? However since there is a resemblance to birch you may have arrived at the correct identification on your own anyway. With posting better, more informative views enabling confirmation.
My wild guess would be Betula alleghaniensis Betula alleghaniensis / Yellow Birch — OneNature betula alleghaniensis bud - Google Search
I would consider the possibility that that could be a native tree . . . they have often been given priority in commercial landscapes the past many years. Universities often keep records of trees that are planted on their campuses. At UBC, for example, "over 10,000 native trees in natural settings."
Sometimes part of the course is teaching that that there are forums like this that can be used as a resource.
