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
Are you planning a block party for your neighbourhood? We’d love to attend! Besides being a great way to spend time and connect with your neighbours, block parties offer a fantastic opportunity to gather together as a community and learn more about the plants and animals that live in your Read more
When my partner and I purchased our first home in 2016, we had a one-year-old child and another on the way. After tackling the most urgent house repairs, we turned our attention to the landscape. It quickly became clear that the extensive flower gardens hadn’t been weeded in years. Though Read more
Tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), also known as stinking willie, is a toxic invasive biennial or short-lived perennial plant introduced to Canada from Europe in the 1850s via the ballast water of ships. It is currently found in the Fraser Valley, southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, and in parts Read more
The forests of SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island have a story to tell. For those with the patience to look and an eye for detail, the clues are there to see. A tree fallen centuries ago and now nearly gone, but whose past life continues to influence the present, can be Read more
It lurks within the dark and shadowy places in a forest understory, but also boldly bathes in sun along a property’s road edge. The quality of the soil is rarely a limiting factor to its growth. Perennially green and glossy, this shrub is considered attractive. Its toxicity, however, makes news Read more
When I was a young boy, I came down with a terrible cold and was stuck at home for weeks. This was memorable for me because during that time, I was gifted a copy of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. Those were the first books I remember getting hooked on Read more
Why bother learning the names and features of plants? In my experience, learning the names of various species and how to identify them has brought increased detail to the variety of life around me. Furthermore, an awareness of invasive species can aid in efforts to manage them. Invasive species reduce Read more
As a kid, I remember riding my bicycle along the Galloping Goose trail in Victoria and seeing Scotch broom plants densely packed along the sides of the trail. Their brilliant yellow flowers caught my eye as their aromatic scent filled the hot summer air. To me their blooming marked the Read more
By the Numbers Mayne Island is one island, 2,370 hectares (5,856 acres) in size, with a 43km coastline. From the 260m top of Mt. Parke to the high tide line, the island contains 16 different habitat types. Ranging from wetlands to dry ridge tops, and each habitat is home to Read more