Douglas Fir. Stephen F. Arno

a single large coastal Douglas-fir supports millions of needles, what may seem like an insignificant “drip-drip” in a hike through the woods turns out to be a significant contributor to the forest’s annual water budget. In the Bull Run Watershed that serves as the water source for Portland, Oregon, fog drip contributes an average 35 inches of moisture, or about one-third of the total annual precipitation.

      Scientists continue to delve into the genetic, physiological, and architectural anomalies that make Douglas-fir unique. Increasingly sophisticated measuring instruments and analysis techniques should help shed light on myriad remaining questions and reveal more secrets in the future. The increased knowledge and insights that come from this work, along with the special partnerships Douglas-fir forms with countless other forest organisms, further underscore its status as a world-renowned tree.