Westerners familiar with their forests may think they know the Douglas fir–but how well do they? Douglas firs are found in the continental northwest from British Columbia to as far south as Oaxaca, Mexico. They flourish in the Cascades, Rocky Mountains, Sierra, and other mountain ranges, as well as in desert valleys. Incredibly hardy, this tree adopts various strategies to occupy more kinds of habitats than any other native tree, even becoming an uncontrollable invader in some regions, crowding out ponderosa pines, western larch, aspen groves, and mountain grasslands. Yet the utility of this noble species is immense. Douglas firs yield more high-quality construction lumber than any other tree in the world.

Most intriguing of all, perhaps, is that the story of the Douglas fir has gone untold. Douglas Fir fills this literary gap and presents an engaging profile of the Douglas fir and its relationship to people, commerce, culture, and wilderness.