Near Port Alberni in Nanaimo, British Columbia — Canada’s West Coast (North America)
David Douglas (1799-1834)
Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 4, 2012
1. David Douglas (1799-1834) - Marker
Scottish-born botanist David Douglas identified over 200 new plant species in North America, including the famous Douglas fir. Primarily a collector rather than a published scientist, he sent more plants to Europe than any other botanist of his time. Douglas made three expeditions to Canada, including journeys from the Columbia River to Hudson Bay (1827) and along the Okanagan and Fraser rivers (1833). His career ended tragically in 1834 when he was killed while exploring in Hawaii. About 50 plant species and one genus bear the name of this renowned collector.
Botaniste écossais, Douglas identifia plus de 200 nouvelles espèces végétales d'Amérique du Nord, dont le célèbre sapin de Douglas. Collectionneur plutôt qu'auteur scientifique, il envoya en Europe plus de plantes que n'importe quel autre botaniste. Il effectua trois voyages au Canada, dont un qui le mena du fleuve Columbia à la baie d'Hudson en 1827 et un autre le long des fleuves Okanagan et Fraser en 1833. Sa carrière se termina tragiquement en 1834 lors d'un accident au cours d'une expédition aux îles Hawaii. Près de
this page online
Erected by Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Historic Sites and Monuments Board series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1799.
Location. 49° 17.465′ N, 124° 39.765′ W. Marker is near Port Alberni, British Columbia, in Nanaimo. It is on Alberni Highway (BC-4), on the right when traveling east. The marker is at the parking lot for Cathedral Grove, within MacMillan Provincial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Alberni Highway (BC-4), Port Alberni BC V0R 1G0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.
Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within 13 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Forest Industry in British Columbia / L’Industrie Forestiere en Colombie-Britannique (approx. 12.8 kilometers away); Bicentennial of the Spanish Expeditions to the Northwest Coasts of America (approx. 12.8 kilometers away).
Also see . . . MacMillan Park, web page by BC Parks. (Submitted on September 16, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario.)
Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 4, 2012
2. MacMillan Provincial Park - Map
Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 4, 2012
3. Douglas Firs - big trees
Photographed by Kevin Westell, July 4, 2012
4. Banana slug - wedding band for scale
Credits. This page was last revised on March 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 16, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. This page has been viewed 79 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 16, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
