Friends of Ecological Reserves

Blue/Dease River Ecological reserve 3D image

Garry Fletcher — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:32:55 +0000

This image is from Google Earth 3D . The red line represents the approximate boundary of the Ecological reserve.

Browne Lake and Big White Mountain Ecological Reserve location

Garry Fletcher — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:21:58 +0000

These maps showing reserve locations east of Kelowna were adapted from the BC Parks website.

Browne Lake ER (in beige) and Browne Lake Provincial Park (in green)

Browne Lake Ecological Reserve 3D Images

Garry Fletcher — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:51:54 +0000

These images have been extracted from Google Earth 3D

Browne Lake Ecological Reserve Boundary viewed from the south side

ed from Google Earth 3D:

View from the west side looking to the east.

Boundary Trespass on Big White Mountain Ecological Reserve

Garry Fletcher — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:56:40 +0000

On one corner of the Ecological Reserve, the Big White resort Development has trespasses into the reserve with permanently installed ski trails. . The first map image below shows the outline of the reserve, the second map image shows a detail of the compromised boundary. It would be interesting to know how this was allowed to happen, and perhaps it indicates a need for more thorough signage along the boundary.

Perhaps appropriate mitigation would be for the Big White Ski resort to volunteer to install and maintain the necessary signage as it was noted in October 2012 that signs were missing and this one ski Boundary sign was not even in good shape..

Big White Mountain Ecological Reserve from satellite imagery. Note boundary crossing on lower left corner.

Ski trails crossing over the Big White Mountain Ecological Reserve Boundary on the south-west corner.

Big White Mountain Ecological reserve on Google Earth 3D

Garry Fletcher — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:38:05 +0000

This image was derived from Google Eath 3D

Red line shows approximate outline of the Big White Ecological Reserve.

Big White ER viewed from 5.37 km to the East looking to the West.

Big White Mountain Ecological Reserve viewed from the West , looking East

Big White Ecological reserve viewed from the north 6.42km ooking to the south.

Dewdney and Glide Islands Ecological Reserve from Google Earth

Garry Fletcher — Mon, 20 May 2013 06:18:46 +0000

The Dewdney and Glide Islands ecological reserve is one of the most vulnerable to the threat of oil spills from the proposed tanker route of the Northern gateway pipeline proposal.
The Overview for the ER states the following:
Many bog ponds, sloughs, and small lakes are scattered over Dewdney Island in flat areas and depressions, however, drainage patterns are poorly organized and permanent streamcourses few and small. The maritime climate is characterized by frequent cloud cover, mist and fog, and by minimal seasonal variations in temperature. Noteworthy nesting species are the Canada goose, sandhill crane and Lincoln’s sparrow. Only a few nesting sites of the sandhill crane are known in British Columbia. Other birds noted in the reserve include the common and red-throated loon, red-breasted merganser, great blue heron, blue grouse, band-tailed pigeon, bald eagle, Cooper’s hawk, goshawk, sanderling, dunlin, raven, winter wren, hermit thrush, American robin and junco. A colony of the burrow-nesting Cassin’s auklet is present on Glide Islands.

This image from Google Earth 3D shows the islands and the gallery shows closeups of various sections.

Moore McKenny, Whitmore Islands Ecological Reserve

Garry Fletcher — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:19 +0000

The images were extracted from Google Earth. These three islands make up the reserve, they lie right in the pathway of the proposed Northern Gateway tanker traffic.

The significance of these Islands is ststed in the International Bird Area website:

“Seven species of seabirds breed in significant numbers on Moore and Byers Island. Of the 12 total islands that support seabirds in the site, the majority of the birds breed on seven islands. Surveys conducted in 1988 reported 30,040 pairs of Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels and 20,505 pairs of Leachs Storm-Petrels. These numbers represent 1% of the global Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel population and about 4% of the eastern Pacific Leachs Storm-Petrel population that is found in Canada. The surveys also recorded a total of 79 pairs of American Black Oystercatchers breeding on all 12 islands within the site. This represents 1.5% of the worlds population.Three species of alcids nest on the islands in significant numbers. The most abundant of these is the Rhinoceros Auklet, with 91,640 pairs surveyed in 1988 (7% of the total world population). Counts of 22,730 Cassins Auklet pairs were recorded in the same year. The last alcid, Pigeon Guillemot, breeds in nationally significant numbers. In 1988, 604 birds or approximately 6% of the Canadian population were surveyed. Finally, 889 pairs of Glaucous-winged Gull breed here – this is over 3% of the national population.

Other birds recorded at the site include Peregrine Falcon (subspecies pealei, a nationally vulnerable bird), Bald Eagle, Tufted and Horned puffin, Sooty and Short-tailed shearwater, White-winged Scoter, Harlequin Duck, Marbled Murrelet, three species of cormorants, and a variety of shorebirds.”

Moore Mckenny Whitmore Ecological reserve. See individual islands below:

Byers, Conroy, Harvey, Sinnet Islands Ecological Reserve

Garry Fletcher — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:21:36 +0000

From Google Earth, the fiollowing images have been adapted in order to portray the individuality of these islands. See the reports section to find out som e of the special ecological conditions on the islands.

The four groups o islands that make uo the reserve. Individual images of these islands are shown below

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The largest islands support forest cover dominated by Sitka spruce. This covers most of the land area. Small areas of herbaceous meadow, in which cow-parsnip is conspicuous, and windswept grassy headlands are present. The combination of tidal channels, protected bays, sandy beaches and rocky intertidal areas provides varied habitat for extensive kelp beds and associated invertebrates.

The following numbers are from the first version of the Ecological Reserve Guide published in 1993. Eight species of seabirds nest on these islands. An estimated 2000 pairs of Leach’s and fork-tailed storm-petrels nest on the forest floor at scattered locations where substrates are suitable for burrowing. In excess of 7000 pairs of Cassin’s auklets and 1500 of rhinoceros auklets, as well as burrow-nesters, utilize open forest and grassy slopes near shoreline. A colony of 50 pairs of tufted puffins, the only significant breeding site along the Mainland Coast, is present on grassy slopes at Byers Island. A population of about 250 pairs of glaucous-winged gulls nest on exposed headlands, while an estimated 50 pairs of black oystercatchers utilize rocky headlands and some beaches as nest sites. At least two pairs of peregrine falcons nest in trees here, the only recent occurrence of such nesting known in North America. Their usual nest sites, steep cliffs, are lacking but food in the form of seabirds is abundant, therefore the falcons have resorted to using old bald eagle nests.

Rockfish Conservation Area at Moore Islands

Garry Fletcher — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:31:05 +0000

This link is to the Rockfish Conservation area at the south end of Moore isalnds:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/rca-acs/rca-acs/north-nord/WestAristazabalChart3902-eng.htm

Burnt Cabin Bog ER Image

Garry Fletcher — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:12:52 +0000

This Burnt cabin bog image was drawn from Google Earth 3D

Note: red lines indicate approximate boundary of the Burnt Cabin Bog ER