Caring for the Land
Eelgrass Video
A short video talking about the work done on Mayne Island and the importance of eelgrass to our local ecosystems,
Kelp Bed Monitoring
Kelp Bed Monitoring
About Kelp Beds Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) is an annual marine seaweed that is common throughout the Gulf Islands. Its range extends from Alaska to California, and it provides important habitat for many kinds of marine life. The plant consists of a long stipe (up to 36 m long), attached Read more…
Herring Spawn Recovery
Miners Bay Herring Spawn Recovery Project
Herring Spawning in Active Pass Active Pass up until the late 1970’s was a high density spawning area for Pacific Herring. Herring are a very important food fish for many species of fish (significantly salmon) and marine birds. Recently herring spawn occurrences have again appeared in the waters around Mayne Read more…
Important Bird Area
Active Pass Important Bird Area
Project Outline Mayne Island Conservancy is joint caretaker of the Active Pass Important Bird Area, an international designation for areas that support internationally and nationally significant populations or species of birds at some part of their life cycle. Active Pass is habitat for three bird species that fall under the Read more…
Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area Report 2013
Introduction by Michael Dunn and Mike Hoebel For 2013, six stewards provided their observations of bird and marine mammal activities within the Important Bird Area (IBA.) Compared to the first year of steward observations, the number of reports were down and coming on a less regular basis. Michael Dunn and Read more…
Our Shorelines
Mayne Shoreline Atlas
In April 2013 the Mayne Island Conservancy’s work on shoreline ecology has culminated in the publishing of the Mayne Island Shoreline Atlas Report, which synthesizes much of the knowledge gained from all the elements of our Shoreline Care Project. The Conservancy is grateful to Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program for much of the funding that has made this report possible. Deliverables of the project are a GIS database and maps, which provide information about the ecological nature of Mayne Island’s shorelines. The impetus for the inventory arose out of concern for the increasing number of shoreline modifications constructed near the intertidal boundaries of the study area, combined with a lack of information regarding the location of critical habitats. (more…)
Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area Report for 2012
by Michael Dunn and Mike Hoebel Introduction For 2012, 5 stewards continued to provide their observations of bird and marine mammal activities within the IBA. Compared to the first year of steward observations the number of reports were down and coming on a less regular basis. This year is the Read more…
Caring for the Land
Purple Martin
Purple Martin Scientific Name: Progne subis Status (BC): Blue-listed The Purple Martin is the largest North American swallow and has declined in numbers due to loss of habitat. Originally nesting in large snags and wildlife trees in woodland and freshwater areas, Purple Martin almost all nest in human-made nest boxes placed in Read more…
Forage Fish Surveys
Forage Fish Surveying
Why Survey Surf Smelt and Pacific Sand Lance? Surf Smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) are a schooling fish found in shallow near-shore waters. They range from Prince William Sound, Alaska, to Long Beach, California. They feed on plankton and in turn are preyed upon by larger fish, birds, and marine mammals. Along Read more…