The Douglas Fir Forest Cache is a regular sized
rectangular LnL container with the usual logbook, pencils, trading
items, and a few initial travellers.
About the Forest
The coastal variety of Douglas-fir trees are massive--much
larger than the variety found in Alberta. However, the specimens
along the trail are a very respectable size—up to seven and
one-half feet in diameter. Some trees are about 500 years old.
Douglas-firs require considerable moisture and protection from
drying winds, both of which they receive on these north-facing
slopes.
In addition to the Douglas-firs, the trail passes through low
moist areas, stands of Balsam Poplar and White Spruce. Some of the
spruce trees are also very large but differ from the Douglas-firs
in a number of ways. The most obvious difference is that the bark
on the spruce is relatively even and on the Douglas-firs it is
deeply furrowed with reddish lines.
The coniferous forest is home to the birds and mammals that have
adapted to this ecosystem such as Least Chipmunks and Red
Squirrels. It is also home to cone-eating birds like the Red and
White-winged Crossbills, and some of the tiniest birds
around—Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets.
Come out and enjoy a walk in the woods!
Park Hours - Bowness Park - 0500 - 2300.