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.
Two rating systems were created, one calculating the ecological value of Mayne Island shorelines and the other calculating the level of modification to this shoreline. Data was collected by small boat and field technicians recorded shoreline modifications, backshore ecology, erosion, wildlife habitat features, and presence of important species such as forage fish, eelgrass, and kelp in marine riparian areas.
The data within the GIS database will be available to the Mayne Island Local Trust Committee, Island Trust planners, the Islands Trust Fund and other interested parties; providing a large amount of data for reference, additional query and future comparison. The purpose of this data is to provide planners and members of the public with information for science based decision-making, identification of essential biological habitats, and information and stewardship opportunities for the Mayne Island community.
Read the full report (.pdf) here
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