summarize: Site specific historical records, site characteristics, and dendrochronological data improve our understanding of local and regional factors that shape the structure of these ecosystems and can be integrated into unique restoration and fire management strategies for each site. Recent work recognizes that there is no “silver bullet” when devising a restoration and management strategy for these ecosystems (Pellatt et al. 2007; Dunwiddie and Bakker 2011; Dunwiddie et al. 2011; Pellatt and Gedalof 2014). Garry oak ecosystems on south ern Vancouver Island and surrounding Gulf Islands are likely the product of climate and site-specific anthropogenic conditions. Active management which emulates components of past conditions within the context of site-specific characteristics will likely be neces sary to effectively deter the encroachment of conifer tree species and maintain a site in a seral successional state. A comprehensive understanding of the structure and function of site-specific Garry oak ecosystems can be used to create restoration prescriptions for each site (Copes-Gerbitz et al. 2017). Because of the interplay between past climate, Indig enous population and land use, and modern alteration of ecological processes such as fire, each of the sites analyzed here will require active management to restore and manage the Garry oak ecosystem. The restoration prescription should be site-specific, considering both regional and local factors that influenced development of the ecosystem.