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Provinces and Territories · Drawing 30 of 42

The giants of Cathedral Grove

British Columbia

Colouring illustration: The giants of Cathedral Grove
An imagined, simplified forest; the family stays on the trail behind a low rail, as BC Parks asks.© Atlasmio · All rights reserved

In Cathedral Grove, on Vancouver Island, some Douglas firs are more than 800 years old. Next to these giants, children look tiny!

Look together

Which animals might live in this tree?

An idea to try

Measure 9 metres of string or yarn together, then lay it in a circle on the floor: that is about the distance around the park’s biggest Douglas fir.

For the adult reading along

A little more to discover

In MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, Cathedral Grove protects an old-growth Douglas fir forest. Some trees are more than 800 years old, and the largest measures more than 9 metres around. Forester H.R. MacMillan donated the land in 1944, and the park was created three years later. On the coast, Douglas firs can grow up to 100 metres tall.

BC Parks asks visitors to stay on marked trails, to protect the forest, and to stay off the trails on windy days, because old trees and branches can fall without warning. Ask your child what a tree might have seen in 800 years.

Sources and context (2)

These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.

  • BC Parks — MacMillan ParkDouglas firs more than 800 years old; the largest more than 9 m in circumference; land donated by H.R. MacMillan in 1944 and park established three years later; stay on designated trails; trees and branches can fall without warning, stay off trails on windy days.
  • The Canadian Encyclopedia — Douglas FirThe coastal variety may reach heights of 100 m.

Source review: 2026-09-24. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.