Islands are fascinating places. Natural isolation provides the perfect opportunity for things to get weird. I think we can all agree SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island is unique in all kinds of ways. As a plant ecologist, one of the unique things I notice about the island is which native plants Read more
If you asked me what my biggest fear was as a kid, I probably would have said seaweed. This summer at the Mayne Island Conservancy I really had to face that fear. As Ecosystems Technician I had the honour of coordinating the kelp monitoring program on SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island Read more
The lights of downtown Vancouver at night. Photo by Lisa Siddons. Data gathered by backyard astronomers shows that the night sky becomes about 10% brighter each year due to human activities. Life on Earth evolved to be dependent on the rhythms of day and night.. Scientists have long known that Read more
A hoary bat in flight. One of the most commonly seen bats on SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island. What is the first thing you picture when you think of a warm summer evening in the Gulf Islands? Bats, obviously. Bundled in sweaters with tea and chocolate, we (the summer staff and Read more
Clad in suspenders and boots, he has the build of a logger – but Tal Engel approaches the forest like a doctor in a clinic. He picks off leaves and digs handfuls of soil, looking for clues that indicate the health of the ecosystem. We invited Tal, founder of WolfTree Read more
Photo by Lee Beavington The Mayne Island Conservancy has a target to protect at least 30% of SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island by 2033. As I’ve been spreading the word about this initiative, a number of people have asked why 30% is the goal we selected. I hope to help more Read more
As one of the Ecosystems Technicians this Summer on SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island, I’ve spent many days in a variety of landscapes across the island. From removing Scotch broom at the height of soaring turkey vultures on Henderson Hill, to meticulously combing through herbaceous plants on my hands and knees Read more
This time of year, the Mayne Conservancy’s native plant nursery on SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island is bursting at the seams. All spring we have been ‘potting up’ seedlings to the point where nearly every surface is covered by over 40 different species, like a forest in miniature. I often catch Read more
Summer is just around the corner and our light trap program is well underway, with volunteers feeling particularly excited now that we’ve begun catching Dungeness crab and gathering data on population numbers! The Light Trap program is run by the Hakai Institute for Coastal Science under an umbrella project called Read more
We hope you’ve had a chance to get out to Edith Point this spring! Next time you visit you may notice some small changes along the trails. Work is ongoing through May and June by the Mayne Conservancy to improve the safety of trails for visitors and to minimize the Read more