DOUGLAS FIR LUMBER

Douglas Fir is biologically unique among conifers. While virtually all other species in the Pinaceae family have 12 pairs of chromosomes (2n=24), Douglas Fir has 13 pairs (2n=26) - making it genetically distinct from its relatives. The species exists as two distinct subspecies: the coastal variety (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) that dominates the wet old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest, and the inland Rocky Mountain variety (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) with smaller dimensions but much wider distribution. Despite not being a true fir, Douglas Fir has become one of the most beloved and important trees in North America, yielding more high-quality construction lumber than any other tree in the world.

Douglas Fir's native range extends from British Columbia in Canada south to central Oaxaca in Mexico. The species flourishes in the Cascades, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and other mountain ranges, as well as in desert valleys at higher elevations. Incredibly hardy, Douglas Fir adopts various strategies to occupy more kinds of habitats than any other native tree in western North America. Old growth coastal Douglas Fir can reach heights of well over 300 feet tall and over 12 feet across at the base, with life expectancies of 500 to 1,000 years when left undisturbed. The immense size difference between a 240-year-old tree and a 635-year-old tree, as illustrated in displays at the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon, shows just how much fiber these remarkable trees can produce when left to mature.

The peak of the Northwest's old growth Douglas Fir cut volume occurred in the 1980s. Since that time, the volume available has steadily declined as environmental regulations have limited harvesting in many areas. Today, much of the supply of truly fine grain, dense Doug Fir logs comes from salvage logging - old growth trees that have fallen due to natural disturbances such as wildfire and wind storms. These salvaged trees are often 300 to 400+ years old, resulting in dense lumber with tighter grain structure that simply cannot be replicated by faster-growing second growth timber. The difference is especially critical for structural timbers and CVG clears, where density, stability, and grain count per inch directly impact both performance and appearance. Export markets in Europe and Asia have created strong demand for the finest vertical grain Douglas Fir, further reducing the supply available to domestic buyers.