Many people in the Comox Valley are familiar with the stands of Garry oaks that we see north of Courtenay, but did you know that Garry oaks, Quercus garryana, were part of an extensive hardwood forest in BC before the last ice age?
Garry oak was named by botanist and explorer, David Douglas, for Nicholas Garry (1782-1856) who served as deputy-governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company from 1822-1835.
Here’s more information on these beautiful trees:
The Government of BC Guide
Canada’s Historic Places page on the Tsolum Stand
About Nicholas Garry
