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…
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…
I moved to Mayne Island a short four years ago, and in my daily walks I quickly got into the habit of looking for some of the beautiful wildflowers and shubs that I had gotten to know in the Douglas fir forests of Vancouver Island. One of my favourites is Read more…
There are many more deer on Mayne Island now than in previous centuries. The evidence for that statement is available for anyone to see: most native plants on Mayne Island are decreasing in abundance as a result of deer browse. Have you seen sword fern with its tips chewed off? Read more…
September, 2013 – The question of re-establishing deer hunting on Mayne Island was brought to representatives of the Mayne Island Residents and Ratepayers Association and the Mayne Island Conservancy Society by the Provincial Fish and Wildlife Department who asked the Conservancy and MIRRA members to talk to the community members Read more…