It was the strangest of apparitions on a cool, rainy morning in the Nahmint River Valley. A gnarled, towering, broken topped Douglas fir, rising abruptly into the mist, beckoning us to make its acquaintance. We had to investigate! Though the tree was a relatively short distance away, precarious ground made for a painstakingly slow approach, and the nearer we got, the more peculiar it became!

The four of us- Terry, Laura, Greg, and yours truly- had been exploring a grove of trees that Greg, who works as a forest technologist for British Columbia Timber Sales (BCTS), had visited numerous times. It features several Douglas firs( Pseudotsuga menziesii ) over two metres in diameter, and quite likely a thousand years old! As we crept closer to this aging giant, Greg’s comment more than mirrored my own thoughts. “Just goes to show, no matter how many times you visit a forest, there’s always something new for you to see.”

Ever gradually, this unusual Douglas fir revealed its secrets. What was particularly uncommon was that its trunk was festooned with burls from the base, all the way to the heights of its weather beaten crown. This grand old gentleman had survived many storms, but its battered body had somehow withstood the test of time.

While I’m certainly an admirer of nature’s more impeccable specimens, I confess to having great sentiment for those that are truly one of a kind. Having to overcome barriers to survival tends to produce asymmetry, resulting in trees that exude character. This Douglas fir, thus, was perfectly imperfect as far as I was concerned!

“A tree like this certainly deserves a name,” I mused, and almost immediately, I was reminded of Canadian boxing legend George Chuvalo, who was one of my idols when I was a young and aspiring pugilist. George was Canada’s heavyweight champion for many years, compiling a 74-18-2 record, with 65 wins by knockout. He had plenty of punching power, and though he tended to lose by decision to boxers of elite skill and speed, what really stood out most was his ability to endure punishment (much like this tree itself). George went the distance twice against Muhammad Ali, perhaps boxing’s biggest legend. After their first bout in March of 1966, Ali was the victor, but ended up in worse condition than Chuvalo, saying afterward “He’s the toughest guy I ever fought.” Indeed, only future champions Joe Frazier and George Foreman managed to knock out Chuvalo over his 22 year career!

George’s life after boxing was especially heart wrenching. He suffered greatly, losing multiple family members due to drug abuse and suicide. Just as he had in the ring, he later chose to face those challenges head on and tell his painful story to the world, as a public speaker. He hoped that by doing so, some people might be able to avoid the tragedies he had experienced. Sadly, as I write this in June of 2022, he is currently battling the ravages of dementia, no doubt his toughest opponent ever.

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It seemed natural to me to name this embattled Douglas fir after George Chuvalo, as its storied life seemed to parallel his own, in many ways. The almost champion tree, though venerable, is not quite large enough, at 1.95 metres in diameter, to qualify for protection under either the Province of British Columbia’s Special Tree Protection Regulation, or the BCTS Legacy Tree Program ( those limits are set at 2.70 metres, and 2.10 metres, respectively). It is, however, protected within an Old Growth Management Area, and thus it is currently protected from logging, though failing health may mean it’s living on borrowed time. Similarly, George may never have become a world heavyweight champion, but there’s little question he attained that status as a human being! One glance at this tree, and you’ll soon understand you’re in the presence of courage. The Chuvalo Fir still stands strong in the face of adversity. Here’s hoping it survives many centuries more!

*******AUTHOR’S NOTE*******

Pictures of George Chuvalo hung on the walls of boxing clubs in Canada long before I ever knew who he was. My introduction to his determined style first came by way of the television, and through newspaper articles. If there’s a lesson I’ve learned from him (and from the forests), it’s that you show respect for the life you’ve been given by giving your all. Don’t expect to be perfect, but battle hard, and do the best that you can. Thank you George, for that inspiration, and so much more.