Nisbet says Douglas, the naturalist, was a mountaineer

NATURE — Scottish naturalist David Douglas worked climbing adventures into his quest to document plant species, such as the Douglas fir, says Jack Nisbet , Spokane author and historian.

Nisbet will elaborate in a free public presentation, “David Douglas the Mountaineer,” at 7 p.m. Monday, June 14, at Mountain Gear headquarters , 6021 E. Mansfield in Spokane Valley.

The program is one in a monthly series celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Spokane Mountaineers .

“Douglas was known as an active man, and during a series of visits to the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii between 1825-34 he managed to ascend or attempt an assortment of well-known peaks,” Nisbet said.

“This slide presentation will examine the context around each climb, relate what Douglas collected in the alpine regions, and plug into the sometimes whacky exploits of a true adventurer.”

Nisbet will be available at 6 p.m. to answer questions and sign copies of his books, “David Douglas: The Collector” and “A Naturalist at Work,” a collection of essays on Douglas.

Nisbet’s latest book, “Ancient Places,” includes stories investigating the people and phenomena that shaped the mountainous landscape of this region.