About the Merlin Firs

The Merlin Firs were an unusual and healthy double-trunked Douglas fir in West Seattle. As one of the few large, native trees left in the Gatewood neighborhood, the firs attracted many birds, including Seattle’s only pair of nesting merlins. When the property owner discovered a historic boundary on the lot, they sold the small piece of land containing the Merlin Firs to a developer. Despite the small size of the lot, an AIA certified architect provided Tree Action Seattle with a plan to build the same number of homes while retaining the trees. The developer did not respond to approaches and SDCI refused to consider requesting an alternate site design, and the trees were removed.