Even after such a long dry summer, it seems we always have the wet winter waiting for us, and indeed the average rainfall here amounts to just under three feet (838 mm) annually. So where exactly does all that rain go, and why do Mayne Islanders need to be careful about water consumption?
In October, 2021 the Mayne Island Conservancy Board of Directors approved a policy regarding overabundant deer on Mayne Island. See the full policy here (link); below are some of its key points. The Mayne Island Conservancy has an important role to play by providing evidence-based information on the environmental impacts Read more…
Now that the soils have softened, it’s a perfect time for planting. We have a selection of beautiful native plants from our small plant nursery now available for order. Our top picks this year are Oregon gumweed, red columbine, and nodding onion. These perennial wildflowers provide amazing colour and summer Read more…
The Many, Many Deer of Mayne Island When driving down a Mayne Island road in the evenings, it’s common to see deer in the headlights – many, many deer. As with most of the Gulf Islands, Mayne has more deer than are ecologically sustainable. European colonization has reduced human hunting Read more…
A Place of Many Values Many of you are familiar with Bennett Bay Park, the 26-acre property that includes Campbell Point and the area between the beach and Wilkes Road. This part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is well loved by Mayne Island residents and visitors alike, with Read more…
Despite the popular Christmas lyrics, please don’t deck your halls with boughs of holly. As with many invasive species that have naturalized across the Pacific Northwest, English holly was brought here in the mid 1800s to be planted in the gardens of settlers as a familiar piece of home. More Read more…
Please help us keep this vital program growing. The demand for locally-adapted plants for habitat restoration projects in Mayne Island’s public parks has grown in recent years, as has interest from homeowners and other private land stewards using native plants for land restoration and native plant gardening. Our small native Read more…
When you pour yourself a cool, fresh glass of water, remember it comes out of an aquifer in the ground, sometimes not too far from where our household wastewater (sewage) ends up. Many of us moved to Mayne from a city where smelly waste is whisked away in big pipes 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…
Groundwater is a critical element that supports the health of our ecosystems and the hydrological function of watersheds. The concern today is that changes in seasonal precipitation, evapotranspiration, recharge, and saltwater intrusion are threatening this precious resource. Groundwater – A Primer The unsaturated zone above the water table contains soil Read more…