Description of Historic Place

The Shearing Tree is a seventy foot tall old-growth solitary Douglas fir tree protected under a Conservation Covenant. This tree has visible evidence of past damage to its top and is surrounded by open farmland at all sides, with mature shrubs and grass at its base. The tree is located on a large farm directly off Telegraph Road in Cobble Hill, British Columbia. It is centred on the northern most side of the property. This historic place includes the Douglas fir tree and the land surrounding its base.

Heritage Value

The Shearing Tree has historic and social value for its direct association with one of the early settler families in the Cowichan Valley. This site also has spiritual value as a final resting place for Shearing family members. Lastly, there is social and cultural value to the community in the multi-generational impact the tree has had on the cultural landscape.

The Shearing Tree is located on the first farm in Cobble Hill, the Shearing Farm. The original owner of the Shearing Farm, William J. Shearing, settled on the property in 1862. This association with the first Cobble Hill settler and one of the first H.M.S. Hecate European settlers gives the Shearing Tree cultural and historic heritage value. To the people of Cobble Hill, this tree represents the beginning of their community.

Several descendants of William J. Shearing have chosen the Shearing Tree as their final resting place. As such, the tree serves as a memorial site and there is spiritual value in the ground surrounding the tree where the ashes of these family members have been spread.

Standing tall over the farms of Cobble Hill, the Shearing Tree has greatly influenced the cultural landscape for many generations of Cobble Hill and Cowichan Bay families. This old-growth giant has towered above the rolling farmlands since the area's first farmstead was built. The Shearing Tree was left standing as a reminder of the importance of forests by William H. Shearing's son, Ted Shearing. As the Cowichan Valley was logged extensively during its early development, this tree remains as a symbol of the mighty forests that once dominated this landscape. To the local community, this tree is an iconic natural feature of their landscape.

Source: Cowichan Valley Regional District, Planning and Development Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Shearing Tree include its:
- height and width of the old-growth tree
- untouched quality of the tree and the site beneath it
- unobstructed view of the tree from Telegraph Road and the surrounding properties
- area below the tree where the Shearing family ashes were spread