But Before We Come to the Bears... Some Trees

Here are some fine examples of Arbutus, British Columbia's answer to the Madrone of the California coast. Actually, the Arbutuses (Arbuti?) were around long before British Columbia was a gleam in Victoria's eye... The middle picture with the variations of colour looks like it could be an Andy Goldsworthy creation. Like Sycamore or Plane tree, the Arbutus exfoliates its bark, exposing a shocking red layer, wonderfully smooth and delightful to touch. Not to be too unscientific, but I felt the vibrancy of the Arbutus at the bottom far more than I felt when I touched Opa on Bowen (see infra), but that could simply be the difference between a younger and an older tree. Photos taken 25 vi 06 near Little Qualicum Falls.