Douglas Fir bark

[GG Woody]

Wondering if anyone has some insight...
Why might some Douglas fir bark be super thick, and other bark be much thinner?
Similar sized trees (bit under 2ft diameter) similar environment (maybe 2kms apart, both kinda southish facing hills)
The thinner bark one is really nice green wood, super nice to split, the thicker bark was standing dead and quite a workout to split.
Maybe not a perfect comparison as the thinner bark isn't quite at the base of the tree as I haven't got there yet, and I'm not entirely sure how close to the base the thicker peice came from.

 

[begreen]

Age. The bark thickens as the tree gets older. The thick corky bark offers fire protection.

 

[GG Woody]

I'll have to count/ballpark the rings when I get to the base of this one. Could compare it to the other since the stumps on our property.
This one's a bit of a sketchy 4x4 to get to, I'm only able to haul 3/4 loads in the little UTV.

 

[stoveliker]

If they have the same diameter, there should be already quite some difference in growth ring spacing visible if their age is quite different.

 

[GG Woody]

If they have the same diameter, there should be already quite some difference in growth ring spacing visible if their age is quite different.

I'll have to investigate...
If I was to guess, they are similar age.
Merely a guess but I'd think about 120yrs. I do remember counting the one on our property with my then 10yr old, don't remember how many we counted.😵‍💫

 

[stoveliker]

I'm no PNW expert, nor Doug fir (or trees that have adapted to fire) expert, but would local site microclimate maybe play a role? Sun, shade, daylight hours, wind, temperature, temperature difference between day and night, and summer and winter, soil and nutrients, bug or fungi attacks. Many things in principle could change how a tree behaves.
Or maybe Doug fir only changes thickness of the bark with age. Idk...

If it's dry it'll burn

 

[GG Woody]

I'm no PNW expert, nor Doug fir (or trees that have adapted to fire) expert, but would local site microclimate maybe play a role? Sun, shade, daylight hours, wind, temperature, temperature difference between day and night, and summer and winter, soil and nutrients, bug or fungi attacks. Many things in principle could change how a tree behaves.
Or maybe Doug fir only changes thickness of the bark with age. Idk...

If it's dry it'll burn

It's certainly possible that it's one or all of those factors!
Maybe just stress, or lack of stress? Which could be one or all or none of em?
Might a stressed tree have thicker bark? I know that a heat stressed tree can have quite a cone abundance. Something like it thinks it's going to die so it produces an abundance of seed.

 

[stoveliker]

Yes, that's how we got fruit abundance in the tree nursery I worked at as a teenager - by making them think the end was near.

 

[Slimdusty]

I don't know the reason one tree’s bark is thicker than others, (probably all the reasons listed above) but I know doug fir bark burns hot! Stack a few sheets of bark in the stove to extend coals or a burst of heat. I save it when i can.

 

[begreen]

I find it burns a bit smokier than the wood itself and it produces a lot of clinkers.

 

[GG Woody]

I don't know the reason one tree’s bark is thicker than others, (probably all the reasons listed above) but I know doug fir bark burns hot! Stack a few sheets of bark in the stove to extend coals or a burst of heat. I save it when i can.

Yes, definitely agree. I do have bark fires somewhat often but they are the dirtiest ones to bring inside and smokier for sure. ( I don't believe that our neighbors notice)
The bark piles up a bit quick, my rule is that if it falls off in the forest it stays there. If it's still somewhat attached, even loosely it can come home.
Here's 15ft from the base, still really thin bark compared to most others I harvest.

 

[EbS-P]

Genetic or climate variation

 

[begreen]

Evidently, Doug fir is subject to regional and location variance. Northern doug fir tends to have notably thinner bark than California df.

https://www.scionresearch.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/59174/06_McCONNON.pdf

 

[Slimdusty]

I find it burns a bit smokier than the wood itself and it produces a lot of clinkers.

Interesting, I rarely ever get a clinker over here on the east side, with any type of wood.

 

[GG Woody]

Evidently, Doug fir is subject to regional and location variance. Northern doug fir tends to have notably thinner bark than California df.

https://www.scionresearch.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/59174/06_McCONNON.pdf

Nice find! Tree evolution, becoming more resistant to wildfire.
Now I wonder if forestry purposely plants one variant or another?
The thinner bark sure is nicer to work with for firewood, I would think that the lumber mills would prefer it as well?
Where I am cutting that particular tree is directly on an abandoned skid road, I would guess it was logged maybe 100ish years ago, doubt that it was tree planted, or especially tree planted purposely with a thinner barked variant...
I've cut four standing dead fir's within 300 yards of this one in the last 2 years and they all had much thicker bark. The dog (Timber) and I will have to investigate further though...
A quick google says that BC has been tree planting since 1930

 

[begreen]

I took note of several Doug Firs yesterday in our neighborhood. We have few old boys along with newer growth. The oldest trees had a thick, furrowed bark up to 10-20ft that then thinned out. The young ones (<50yrs) had not developed a thick lower bark rind yet. Seems like nature over time has evolved the thick bark in the lower areas to protect against brush fires?

 

[GG Woody]

Same tree, Lotta wood in this one.
Real sappy strange centre in this one as well.


Just started maybe 9ft from the base, 18" bar won't quite span the diameter.

 

[GG Woody]

Maybe 140yrs old

More loads to go...

 

[Slimdusty]

That looks like some excellent firewood! Most of the doug fir I get is from dead standing trees, and if you don't get to them fairly quickly after they die, they can have various levels of punkiness. Not sure why but they seem to get soft quickly around here.

 

[GG Woody]

That looks like some excellent firewood! Most of the doug fir I get is from dead standing trees, and if you don't get to them fairly quickly after they die, they can have various levels of punkiness. Not sure why but they seem to get soft quickly around here.

Same here, I have been taking standing dead around here for 20 years. Seems they are usually killed by bugs and grubs, they do get punky around the outside quickly, especially on the bottom.
Lately I'm wood hunting with a small UTV and I'm able to get into some trails that I know have green blowdown, real nice wood, noticibly heavier 😃