Douglas Fir: The Story of the West’s Most Remarkable Tree

There can be nothing more stately than the sight of a majestic tree with its branches carrying chlorophyll bearing blades reaching toward the sunny sky. Two retired forestry professors have collaborated to revive the story of a remarkable tree species that are indigenous to the northwest and familiar to forest hikers and commercial lumbermen. The prevalent Douglas-fir is actually a member of the pine family but acquired its name in the 1800s after the Scotch botanist David Douglas transferred seeds he collected in the northwest to London. It took more than a century for botanists to finally settle on a scientific name for this imposing tree that can compete in height with the redwoods and attain diameters of four to eight feet. This hardy tree can attain varying shapes and sizes depending on the demands of its surroundings. But most valued for its wood, the Douglas-fir, became the ‘money tree’ for the timber industry which originated in Puget Sound.

Read how the California Gold Rush and the shipping trade. spurred the Northwest sawmilling industry. The authors have assembled a remarkable narrative recalling the history and current role of the Douglas-fir as it fits in the ecosystem, its use through the ages, its survival through fires, and how modern conditions will affect the survival of these primeval forests. Historic photographs of the trees in their background further enhance the text.