Lying in the dry rainshadow of the Vancouver Island Mountains, the Douglas-fir ecosystem stretches from the southern tip of the Island, up the east coast as far as about Campbell River. Here, the Douglas-fir is a climax species, for there is insufficient moisture in most areas to support the cedars and hemlock that would normally replace them. Along the edges, and in openings created when larger trees have fallen, Broadleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) occurs, and Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), British Columbia's floral emblem, brightens the forest greens. On drier sites, Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii) reaches for the sun.

On the forest floor, Trilliums (Trillium ovatum) can provide an early spring carpet of white. Delicate Calypso orchids (Calypso bulbosa) are dependent on a mycorrhizal relationship with the big Douglas-firs, and the saprophytic Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) draws its nourishment from the roots of other plants, since it has no chlorophyll of its own.

Red-flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) and Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) compete for the early-spring attentions of the Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus), and provide food for Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in late summer.

Overhead, Townsend's Warblers (Dendroica townsendii) and Pacific-slope Flycatchers (Empidonax difficilis) give their thin calls, to lay claim to a piece of the forest canopy. Western Screech-owls (Otus kennecottii) call at night, their whistled notes winding down like a bouncing ball.

It is a habitat rich in diversity, and it is readily accessible to visitors in the many parks and trails in the region.