The mission of the Mayne Island Conservancy is to work with the community to conserve the ecology of Mayne Island and its surrounding waters for future generations. In order to achieve this we engage in a variety of community and ecologically oriented initiatives, made possible through the support of volunteers and donors like yourself as well as grants from foundations and government agencies.
Our critical Shoreline Care programme is celebrating its 10th year. This program began with a generous grant from VanCity and has become an important and ongoing project. However, as an ongoing project, it is very difficult to access further funding.
Won't you help us conserve Mayne Island's shorelines forever?
Here's what your donation can help us achieve.
Popular Education Programs
Help fund exciting public programming of guest speakers, films, workshops on topics such as ethical harvesting of nearshore edibles; marine ecosystems of the Salish Sea; the effects of beach detritus on marine life; interpretive shoreline walks; shorebird identification and behaviours
Anchor Out Program
Help us expand our existing “Anchor Out” program to educate boaters about the destructive effects of anchoring in sensitive eelgrass beds that are so important for Mayne Island's marine health
Critical Mapping and Monitoring
Donate to help us continue the annual mapping and monitoring of eelgrass and kelp beds around Mayne Island providing important baseline data for detecting change in these economically and ecologically important habitats
Reaching School Children
Your donation will help us develop a program that provides opportunities for Mayne Island and off-island school groups and others to experience and learn about the care and conservation of shoreline ecosystems
State of Mayne Island
With your help, we can develop and make available cutting-edge public reports, such as the “State of Mayne Island – Marine Ecosystem Health,” for use by other marine communities, graduate students and all levels of government
Shoreline Cleanup
Support us as we expand our annual shoreline cleanup to include a post-summer cleanup, highlighting a marine plastics awareness program for residents and visitors.
Learn More About Our Shores
Articles and features on our shoreline programs:
Mayne Wildlife
Quiet Seas: How a global pandemic provided an opportunity to study whale behaviour in a quieter ocean
This year many of us have lived quieter lives, keeping each other safe by distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions in travel across the globe, a phenomenon occurred during the pandemic lockdowns that is unlikely to happen again anytime soon; a quieter ocean. Over the last few decades, it Read more…
Kelp Bed Monitoring
Bull Kelp Monitoring Program Expands
Something exciting is happening in the world of bull kelp monitoring around the Southern Gulf Islands! Our long-term monitoring program, which previously focused on seven sites off the shores of Mayne Island, has exploded to include 19 sites around the islands of Galiano, Mayne, North Pender, South Pender, and Saturna. Read more…
Beach Cleanup
Tread Lightly – Derelict Docks
In this month’s Tread Lightly article we’re taking a closer look at the issue of derelict docks. This has been a growing problem in the last few years, and we expect more docks will wash up on our shores in the future. Climatologists are predicting an increase in the frequency Read more…
Eelgrass Monitoring
A Day in the Life of An Eelgrass Survey Team
Our day starts off on the dock at Miner’s Bay. As I walk along the pier to start loading the boat, I glance down into the bay to see how clear the water is. The water clarity (turbidity) has a big impact on how much fun my day will be. I can see some perch lazily swimming below the dock, the Read more…
Kelp Bed Monitoring
Bull Kelp 2019
Our annual bull kelp surveys were a huge success this year thanks to community donations, funding from the Federal Habitat Stewardship Program, and a little luck with the weather. Our bull kelp surveys can only be completed during the lowest tides each August, and this year we had perfect low Read more…
Eelgrass Monitoring
Eelgrass Meadows: Out of Sight and Out of Mind
Have you ever found yourself shoving dirty clothes into a closet as your dinner guests walk up the driveway? I have! Out of sight, out of mind, right? It’s a great strategy for early dinner guests, but unfortunately not so great when it comes to natural resource management. While they’re Read more…
Mayne Wildlife
Mayne’s Marine Mammals
Mayne Island Conservancy is excited to be part of a new conservation initiative, in partnership with our neighbouring island conservancies, that focuses on the future of the Strait of Georgia’s whales, dolphins, and porpoises (collectively called cetaceans), and the health of their habitats. In The Beginning You might remember learning Read more…
Beach Cleanup
2019 Beach Cleanup Results
The 2019 Annual Mayne Island Beach Cleanup on Sunday April 7th was a huge success thanks to the record number of community volunteers who contributed their time and resources. We had 137 volunteers participate, and together they removed 1,712 kg of human trash from shorelines around Mayne Island. In addition Read more…
Mayne Wildlife
Gulls of Mayne Island (and beyond)
Living on the coast, gulls are part of our viewscape and soundscape but few people know them beyond ‘seagulls’. They are conspicuous and gregarious and seem equally at home in urban, agricultural and marine areas. Most of the gull species are in one family and all are similar in colour Read more…
Mayne Wildlife
What’s a Grebe?
This is the latest instalment in our series of articles on the remarkable diversity of birds that visit Mayne Island’s shores in winter. Grebes Grebes are similar to loons, superficially, but are smaller, have lobed toes (as opposed to webbed) set far back on their bodies, and have longer, thinner Read more…