Douglas Fir, The Best Tree For Carbon Capture In The West
Native to North American, Douglas fir trees populate the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest, and the Rocky Mountain range that spans length of British Columbia, Canada to the Sierras in California.
Douglas fir trees prefer cool, moist climates with abundant rainfall and well-drained sandy loam to clay based soils, but they require soils at least a foot deep, rich in nutrients. Fir trees range from sea level to 7,000 feet and grow large in the valleys and lower slopes of the western mountain ranges. In the wet, rainforest climate of the western coast, fir trees can attain heights of over 200 feet and achieve great diameter in old growth forests.
Douglas fir trees planted for Christmas trees fetch top dollar around the holidays due the distinct from the forest smell and postcard shape.
Fast Becoming A Tree Of The World
This native North American tree has been imported to other parts of world as a valuable commercial timber and landscape tree. Douglas fir importations have been particualrily successful in U.K. and New Zealand.
In Europe, Douglas fir plantations are common in countries such as the UK, France, Germany, and Switzerland. The tree's fast growth rate and high-quality wood make it an attractive choice for timber production in these regions. Douglas fir wood is commonly used for construction, furniture, and flooring.
In Asia, Douglas fir trees are also grown for timber in countries such as China and Japan. The harvested wood in these regions is used for pulp and paper production, and to make culturally styled furniture.
In New Zealand, large expanses of Douglas fir plantations supply the construction industry as it does in western Canada and the Northwest United States.
The Best Pollution Capture Tree
Douglas fir trees capture twice its weight in carbon and pollutants making this tree perfect and practical to plant in urban areas.
In a city, these trees capture nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter using the tree's needles to transfer them into the branch, trunk, and root of the tree. Depending on soil types, these pollutants can also be transferred to the surrounding soil, where they are broken down under-foot microorganisms.
In addition to their pollution-capturing abilities, Douglas fir trees provide many other benefits to urban environments including improving air quality and absorbing car exhaust. They also provide habitat for wildlife and can improve the aesthetic value of urban areas.
Carbon Sequestration
One 50 year old Douglas fir tree sequesters 17 pounds of carbon each year and 5 acres of Douglas fir trees captures 127 tons a year offsetting the carbon footprint of over 1,000 people.
Douglas fir is also an important timber tree, valued for its strong, durable wood used primarily by the construction industry.
TTop dollar is paid for knot-free Douglas fir sawlogs 30 inches or more in diameter. Knot-free clear wood is considered a top-grade timber wood. Clear of knots, fir wood triples its strength for structural posts and beams. For every knot present in a length of fir lumber, its strength drops by 5%. More than 5 knots and the lumber will be downgraded to construction grade, which is worth considerably less money.
Clear fir wood is rare, particularly plank and beam wood that is 24 inches wide or more. Trees that produce this prized wood have been mostly harvested from old growth forests that took a thousand years to grow are gone.
Replacing these forests would not only be important for carbon reduction but would grow valuable timber stock. Tree farmers can earn a 300 percent return growing Douglas fir trees based on an average transplanted price of $3 for each seedling, a growth cycle of 30 years and a harvest of at least two, 12-inch diameter 20-foot knot-free sawlogs from each tree.
Lonely Doug
Just to give you an idea of how big these trees can get, Big Lonely Doug on Vancouver Island, Canada, stands tall, rising from a clear-cut. A solitary specimen surrounded by stumps and logging debris, it soars 230 feet high with a trunk more than 20 feet in diameter and is estimated to be between 900 and 1,500 years old. Big Lonely Doug is a sad but majestic symbol of the disappearing old-growth forests and the ongoing fight to save them.
Douglas Fir, Fir Trees, Lonely Doug Video
Douglas fir grows up and down the West Coast of North America and is the dominant timber tree for softwood lumber. Of the old growth forests that remain after three centuries of commercial logging, only a few are accessible to the public and are protected by the Federal, State and Provincial governments of both countries.
The government of New Zealand adopted an aggressive reforestation program that introduced Californian Redwood and Canadian Douglas fir to the country in the 1980’s. Today, New Zealand is second only to Canada for Douglas fir timber exports.
New Zealand Fir Plantations
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) tree plantations are an important component of the forestry industry in New Zealand. First introduced to New Zealand in the mid-19th century, fir trees have since become the dominant source of timber wood for the country.
Douglas fir is grown in plantations throughout New Zealand, with the majority of plantations located in the North Island. The tree's fast growth rate and quality wood make it an attractive choice for forestry.
The management practices used in Douglas fir plantations in New Zealand are similar to those used in other countries. Tree densities can vary depending on the intended use and management strategy, and the trees are typically thinned at regular intervals to promote growth and development. Harvest typically occurs between 25 and 35 years after planting, depending on the desired final product.
In addition to timber production, Douglas fir trees are also used for other purposes in New Zealand. The tree's attractive foliage and cone-like fruits make it a popular choice for ornamental planting, and it is also used for erosion control and streamside planting.
Douglas fir tree plantations provide a sustainable source of high-quality timber, which contributes to the country's economy.
Douglas Fir Trees Grow Fast
Douglas fir trees grow fast, much faster than hardwoods and significantly faster than most softwoods except for California Sequoia and Redwood, Fast growth makes this tree extremely valuable for commercial plantations because timber investors can recoup their investment faster than they would from hardwood tree plantations.
Fir Tree Plantations
Douglas fir is a prized species for commercial softwood tree plantations, particularly in the western United States, where it is native.
The number of trees per acre in a Douglas fir plantation can vary depending on the intended use and management strategy. For timber frame dimensional beam and lumber, production , tree densities can range from 200 to 1000 trees per acre, with higher densities typically resulting in smaller, straighter trees that are suitable for sawlogs.
The spacing between softwood trees in a plantation can also vary depending on the management strategy and site conditions. In general, spacing between trees can range from 6 to 20 feet, with wider spacing resulting in larger trees with wider branches.
The spacing between parallel rows of trees can also vary but is typically around 10 to 12 feet in commercial plantations. This spacing allows for efficient use of equipment and provides enough space for trees to grow without being too crowded.
Thinning is an important management practice in softwood tree plantations, including Douglas fir. Thinning involves removing some trees from the plantation to promote the growth and development of the remaining trees. Strategic thinning helps to reduce competition for light, water, and nutrients, thereby improving the overall quality of the trees. Thinning is typically done at regular intervals, such as every 5 to 10 years, depending on the growth rate of the trees and the desired final product.
The average time to harvest a Douglas fir plantation can vary depending on the intended use and management practices. Timber harvests occur between 30 and 60 years after planting, depending on the desired size and quality of the trees. Some plantations may be harvested earlier for other uses, such as Christmas tree production.
Terrain, Timber & Management
Many commercial tree species require certain types of soil and terrain for optimum growth. Others grow best at a genetically determined altitude. And still others require an adequate amount of rainfall to flourish. The reverse is true with Douglas fir; probably the most adaptable softwood tree able to grow in a wide variety of environments. Douglas fir does as well on mountain slopes as it does in river valleys. It also grows well in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains where only a few inches of rain fall each summer. Douglas fir grows best however in low coastal areas that receive significant amounts of rainfall; some trees grow over 200 feet tall and 20 feet across like Old Doug on Vancouver Island.
Douglas Fir Wood
Douglas fir is regarded as superior structural lumber. Twice as strong as spruce and pine, fir wood is used for beams and floor joists in residential and commercial buildings. A laminated beam made from this tree equals the strength of a glulam, a type of manufactured beam used to span open spaces and support the bearing load of a floor, wall or roof structure. Douglas fir lumber generally dries without warping keeping walls and floors straight and true. Douglas fir wood can be used indoors or outdoors as a decorative finish. It covers well (paint or stain), is extremely durable and can last for years. The strength comes for its tight wood grain, not seen in other types of softwood.
Douglas Fir Wood Products
Douglas fir is used for exposed and non-exposed structural post and beams, glulam laminates, shake roof shingles, exterior finishes, interior trim and moldings, telephone poles, mid-priced furniture, and railway ties.
Douglas Fir Oil
Douglas fir oil is an essential oil that is extracted from the needles of the Douglas fir tree (Pseudotsuga menziesii) using steam distillation, which releases an oil that is pale yellow with a fresh, woody, and slightly sweet aroma.
Douglas fir oil is valued for its therapeutic properties and is used in aromatherapy and natural medicine. Fir oil has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and decongestant properties, making it useful for respiratory issues, muscular aches and pains, and a variety of skin conditions. It is also believed to reduce stress and anxiety when it is rubbed on a person’s forehead.
In addition to its therapeutic uses, Douglas fir oil is used in perfumes, soaps, and other personal care products for its pleasant scent. Fir oil can be used to flavor certain foods and beverages, like chewing gum and soft drinks.
Douglas Fir Landscape Trees - Living Art
Experimenting with trees can produce some incredible results. Topping a Douglas fir tree and pruning branches high up the trunk for example, will shape the tree much like an “Arizona Palm”, which would create a “head-turning” feature for any landscape, particularly in the Pacific Northwest where palm trees simply don’t grow.
As a landscape tree, Douglas fir trees are highly effective at capturing air pollutants, making them an ideal tree species to plant in urban areas. In the city, fir trees provide shade, and help to reduce the urban heat island effect that has become more common in urbanized areas around the world.
In addition to their pollution-capturing and shade-providing abilities, Douglas fir trees can also create an "oxygen envelope" around them through the exchange of carbon dioxide. As the tree takes in carbon, it releases oxygen into the surrounding air, which can create a layer of oxygen several feet thick around the tree – no other tree does this to this depth.
Using Douglas fir as a landscape tree can provide a range of benefits, including pollution capture, shade provision, oxygen production, wildlife habitat, and aesthetic enhancement.
Circle Tree Plantations
Providing the planation site is generally flat and level, a circle tree plantation may be planted. Developed by Tree Plantation LLC. In the Northwest, a circle tree plantation as the name suggests, features a geometric array of fir trees planted a distance apart along an Archimedean spiral. The spiral shape protects the trees from high winds and promotes more or less even top growth throughout the planation. Spiral pathways provide easy access for thinning in year 30 and a first harvest in year 60.
Douglas Fir Partnership Opportunities
Interested in growing Douglas fir? Contact us for more information about partnerships, collaborations and turn-key plantation projects.