General Posts on Marine Reserves
General Posts on Terrestrial Ecological Reserves 
General Posts on Fresh water/Aquatic Ecological Reserves

Ecological Reserves of British Columbia by ER Name (as of February 2013)
Note: Ecological reserve numbers marked with * or ** are closed to the public due to the sensitive nature of these areas: * ER subject to special restrictions ** ER closed to the public.

ER# Ecological Reserve Name Region in BC Location Main Purpose Size (HA) Size (HA)
marine
foreshore

84

Aleza Lake Prince George Area NE of Prince George represents sub boreal spruce forest, lake and wetland communities

242

28

Ambrose Lake Vancouver Area Sechelt Peninsula coastal western hemlock forests and a bog/lake complex

228

13

** Anne Vallee (Triangle
Island)
Northern Vancouver Island Outermost of Scott Islands BC’s largest seabird and sea lion colony estimated to support one million birds

119

861

95

Anthony Island (to
GHNPR)
Haida Gwaii / Southern tip of Moresby Island sea bird nesting colony – 20 islets

44

315

24

** Baeria Rocks Southern Vancouver Island Barkley Sound protects a seabird colony, preserves rich intertidal and subtidal communities

2

138

151

* Ballingall Islets Southern Vancouver Island 7 km NNE of Ganges established to protect sea bird nesting colonies; Glaucous-winged Gulls, Double-crested Cormorants and
Pigeon Guillemots

0.5

0

69

Baynes Island Vancouver Area Squamish River alluvial black cottonwood forest

71

86

Bednesti Lake Prince George Area W of Prince George kettle lake wetland successional sequence

139

12

** Beresford Island Northern Vancouver Island Part of Scott Islands seabird colony supporting over 150,000 seabirds and 6,000 sea lions

13

412

127

Big Creek Williams Lake / Kamloops Area SW of Williams Lake representative grasslands of the Chilcotins, in the Bunchgrass Zone

257

34

Big White Mountain Okanagan Area E of Kelowna subalpine and alpine plant communities

951

71

Blackwater Creek Prince George Area NW of Mackenzie boreal forest and portions of extensive lowland moor

243

58

Blue/Dease Rivers North Western BC W of Lower Post represents terrestrial and aquatic communities in a boreal forest

777

48

Bowen Island Vancouver Area W of Apodaca Provincial Park Douglas-fir and western red cedar forest communities

397

135

Bowser Southern Vancouver Island 15 km N of Parksville represents maturing second growth forest in Coastal Douglas-fir Zone

116

121

Brackman Island (to
GINPR)
Southern Vancouver Island N of Sidney ungrazed Gulf Islands vegetation and marine buffer

5

25

51

Browne Lake Okanagan Area E of Kelowna inland rainforest and marsh community rich in wildflowers

114

6

Buck Hills Road Okanagan Area S of Lumby a stand of older western larch

16

145

Burnt Cabin Bog Prince Rupert Area 15 km SE of Smithers protects a large wetland complex that has a variety of bog, fen, swamp and shallow water habitat

670

103

Byers/Conroy/Harvey/Sinnett
Islands
Prince Rupert Area Hecate Strait, NW of Bella Bella important sea bird and marine mammal breeding area

215

11,708

77

Campbell Brown (Kalamalka
Lake)
Okanagan Area SW of Vernon ponderosa pine, bunchgrass and rattle snake denning site

107

17

** Canoe Islets Southern Vancouver Island Near S end of Valdes Island seabird colony originally established for cormorants and sea mammal haul out

0.6

55

Cardiff Mountain Williams Lake / Kamloops Area W of Taseko River lava plateau, basalt columns and crater lake

65

146

Catherine Creek Prince Rupert Area 12 km SE of Hazelton represents an old growth western red cedar forest in the Interior Cedar Hemlock moist cold subzone

45

50

Cecil Lake Peace NE of Fort St. John sphagnum bog and black spruce forest communities

129

102

Charlie Cole Creek North Western BC S of Teslin Lake unique cone-shaped cold-water mineral springs used by ungulates as salt licks

162

65

Chasm Williams Lake / Kamloops Area N of Clinton ponderosa pine community at its northern limit

195

109

Checleset Bay Northern Vancouver Island NW of Kyuquot extensive marine shoreline, reefs and islets, sea otter population, seabirds

487

32,902

57

Chickens Neck Mountain North Western BC N of Dease Lake climax stand of white spruce and subalpine fir

680

79

Chilako River Prince George Area S of Vanderhoof protects most southerly tamarack stand in BC, swamp fen, bog ecosystem mosaic

64

98

Chilliwack River Vancouver Area S of Chilliwack mature alluvial forest with large western red cedars, hybrid spruces

86

107

Chunamon Creek Peace NE of Germanson Landing two small drainages; Engelmann and white spruce

344

82

Cinema Bog Prince George Area NNE of Quesnel lowland black spruce and sphagnum bog

68

75

Clanninick Creek Northern Vancouver Island N of Kyuquot a small, exceptional stand of old-growth Sitka spruce

37

126

Claud Elliott Creek Northern Vancouver Island NE Vancouver Island representative hemlock, amabalis fir and red cedar forest

231

8

Clayhurst Peace S of Clayhurst eroding bluffs with Peace River parklands

316

1

** Cleland Island Southern Vancouver Island Clayoquot Sound, W of Tofino seabird colony supporting over eleven species of seabirds

7.7

0

20

Columbia Lake Kootenay Region East side of Columbia Lake flora associated with limestone soils

32

136

Comox Lake
Bluffs
Southern Vancouver Island 8 km SW of Courtenay unique botanical phenomena, rare plants

47

108

Cougar Canyon Okanagan Area E Side of Kalamalka Lake mosaic of plant communities in a canyon setting

553

154

Det San Prince Rupert Area 3.5 km E of Smithers rare and sensitive grasslands on steep west facing slopes

5.8

25

** Dewdney and Glide Islands Prince Rupert Area Eastern Hecate Strait seabird colony and extensive bog and fen ecosystems of outer coastal islands

3,326

370

101

Doc English Bluff Williams Lake / Kamloops Area SE of Williams Lake limestone cliffs, rare plants; colony of white throated swifts

52

52

Drizzle Lake Haida Gwaii SE of Masset lake and surrounding bogs; unique species of stickleback

837

60

Drywilliam Lake Prince George Area S of Fraser Lake excellent old growth Douglas-fir community in the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone

95

120

* Duke of
Edinburgh (Pine/Storm/Tree Islands)
Northern Vancouver Island NW of Port Hardy seabird colony – largest in Queen Charlotte Strait

125

535

44

* East Copper/Jeffrey/Rankine
Islands (to GHNPR)
Haida Gwaii Southern tip of Moresby Island sea bird colony, Ancient Murrelet, Fork-tailedand Leach’s Storm-Petrels

121

0

2

East Redonda Island Northern Vancouver Island N end of Georgia Strait represents elevational transect in the coastal forests of the Gulf Islands

6,212

134

Ellis Island Prince George Area W of Vanderhoof on Fraser Lake inland breeding colony of Herring and Ring-billed Gulls

0.6

6

32

Evans Lake Kootenay Region Valhalla Provincial Park subalpine forest including a rare stand of yellow cedar

185

33

Field’s Lease Okanagan Area W of Osoyoos Lake semi-arid shrub steppe communities of the southern Okanagan Valley

4.2

62

Fort Nelson River Liard N of Fort Nelson and Muskwa rivers productive white spruce and alluvial black cottonwood stands

148

153

* Francis Point Vancouver Area Sunshine Coast west of Pender Harbour represents biogeoclimatic variants (CWH xm1) sensitive mosses and lichens on the shallow-soiled coastal
bluffs

9

8

76

Fraser River Vancouver Area N of Chilliwack alluvial forest of seral cottonwood and willow

177

128

Galiano Island Southern Vancouver Island N end of Galiano Island rare undisturbed peat bog in dry Coastal Douglas-fir Zone

30

133

Gamble Creek Prince Rupert Area E of Prince Rupert north coast forest bog complex, occurrence of Pacific silver fir near the northern limit

1,026

104

Gilnockie Creek Kootenay Region E of Kingsgate mature western larch, seral lodgepole pine, small wetland

58

115

Gingietl Creek North Western BC Upstream of mouth of the Nass River undisturbed watershed in coastal western hemlock forest

2,873

68

Gladys Lake North Western BC Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park the largest ER protecting alpine and subalpine habitat for Stone’s sheep, mountain goat and caribou

44,098

56

Goosegrass Creek Kootenay Region W of Columbia Reach, Kinbasket Lake a drainage basin with an elevational gradient representing inland rainforests

2,185

147

Grayling River Hot
Springs
Liard 67 km NE of Muncho Lake protects a nationally significant hot springs site and related natural values

1,421

117

Haley Lake Southern Vancouver Island SW of Nanaimo population of endangered Vancouver Island marmots

888

100

Haynes’ Lease Okanagan Area N end of Osoyoos Lake represents semi-arid land with “pocket desert” communities

101

87

Heather Lake Omineca NW of Mackenzie excellent example of an aspen stand

248

113

Honeymoon Bay Southern Vancouver Island Cowichan Lake outstanding population of pink fawn lily (Erythronium revolutum)

7.5

137

* Hudson Rocks Southern Vancouver Island 25 km N of Newcastle Island nationally significant breeding colony of endangered Pelagic Cormorants

2

48

64

Ilgachuz Range Williams Lake / Kamloops Area N of Anahim Lake subalpine vegetation on the east side of the coast mountains

2,914

116

Katherine Tye (Vedder
Crossing)
Vancouver Area SE of Chilliwack rare white phantom orchid (Cephalantheraaustiniae)

3.1

96

Kerouard Islands (to
GHNPR)
Haida Gwaii Southern tip of Moresby Island sea bird nesting colony where cliffs support Cassin’s Auklet, Tufted Puffins

130

0

40

Kingcome River/Atlatzi River Northern Vancouver Island Near head of Kingcome Inlet rich alluvial valley bottom swamp community in coastal forest

414

49

Kingfisher Creek Kootenay Region Hunters Range, ESE of Sicamous represents forest and subalpine communities of the Monashee Mountains

1,495

138

Klanawa River Southern Vancouver Island 20 km SE of Bainfield Marbled Murrelets, as well as redwood sorrel and other rare plants

90

129

Klaskish River Northern Vancouver Island SW of Port Alice estuary and alluvial forest in Coastal Western Hemlock Zone, native oysters

92

40

148

* Kotcho Lake Liard 100 km ENE of Fort Nelson fresh water nesting colony of Herring, Mew and Bonaparte Gulls unique in BC

49

4

Lasqueti Island Southern Vancouver Island Strait of Georgia, N of Parksville shoreline forest with Rocky Mountain junipers

201

93

* Lepas Bay Haida Gwaii Off NW corner of Graham Island seabird colony of predominantly Fork-tailed and Leach’s Storm-Petrels

3.6

0

31

Lew Creek Kootenay Region E of Upper Arrow Lake represents elevational transect of the inland rain forest

896

5

Lily Pad
Lake
Okanagan Area S of Lumby undisturbed highland forest

101

143

Liumchem Vancouver Area 16 km S of Chilliwack represents montane and subalpine ecosystems; rare species and special karst habitat

2,161

36

Mackinnon Esker Prince George Area NW of Prince George represents well developed lichen communities; on a compound esker

583

130

Mahoney Lake Okanagan Area S of Okanagan Falls southern interior saline lake with unique limnological features of international scientific significance

29.5

42

* Mara Meadows Williams Lake / Kamloops Area E of Salmon Arm unique calcareous fen with rare orchids

178

110

McQueen Creek Williams Lake / Kamloops Area N of Kamloops native grasses and flowers on a small hill

35

105

Megin River Northern Vancouver Island NW of Tofino typical west coast alluvial and upland forest

50

78

Meridian Road (Vanderhoof) Prince George Area S of Vanderhoof Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir-lodgepole pine forest communities

262

140

Misty Lake Northern Vancouver Island 12 km NW of Port McNeill one of only three lakes in the world with the endangered giant black stickleback

73

23

** Moore/McKenney/Whitmore
Islands
Prince Rupert Area Eastern Hecate Strait seabird colony of approximately 100,000 birds primarily Rhinoceros Auklet

185

21

81

Morice River Prince Rupert Area SW of Houstcn burnt and naturally regenerating sub boreal spruce forest

358

123

Mount Derby Northern Vancouver Island S of Port McNeill alpine forest and precipitous forested slopes

557

125

Mount Elliott Northern Vancouver Island S of Port McNeill representative subalpine drainage surrounding cirque lake

554

43

Mount Griffin Kootenay Region N of Mabel Lake secondary and climax communities of inland rainforest

1,249

37

Mount Maxwell Southern Vancouver Island Saltspring Island large Garry oak stand in the Gulf Islands

390

19

Mount Sabine Kootenay Region N of Canal Flats mixed conifer forest community with montane climate east of Rocky Mountain Trench

7.9

70

Mount Tinsdale Williams Lake / Kamloops Area ESE of Barkerville representative alpine and subalpine communities

419

16

Mount Tuam Southern Vancouver Island Saltspring Island Arbutus, Douglas-fir community

362

112

Mount Tzuhalem Southern Vancouver Island NW of Duncan Garry oak stand, rare flowers

18

53

Narcosli Lake Williams Lake / Kamloops Area Between Coglistiko and Baezaeko rivers waterfowl breeding grounds with well-developed aquatic communities

1,098

72

Nechako River Prince George Area W of Prince George protects a vigorous and genetically important tamarack stand west of the Rocky Mountains

133

118

Nimpkish River Northern Vancouver Island N of Vernon Lake representative sample of Canada’s tallest Douglas-fir

19

59

Ningunsaw River North Western BC SE of Bob Quinn Lake coastal western hemlock near its northern limit

2,372

54

Nitinat Lake Southern Vancouver Island E shore of Nitinat Lake steep west coast forest supporting a maritime population of Douglas-fir

79

94

Oak Bay Islands Southern Vancouver Island E of Victoria rare plants, sea birds and marine life

11

221

152

Ospika Cones Liard 50 km ENE of the N end of Williston Lake protects fragile cones built by calcium rich springs; wildlife mineral lick

1,282

74

Pacific Spirit Regional
Park/U.B.C.Endowment Lands (Metro Vancouver)
Vancouver Area Pacific Spirit Park second growth Douglas-fir forests originally established to protect a heron rookery

47

Parker Lake Liard W of Fort Nelson extensive bog habitat with pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea)

259

85

Patsuk Creek Omineca N of Mackenzie paper birch and other seral forest communities

554

99

Pitt Polder Vancouver Area S of Pitt Lake two forested hills surrounded by swamp, fen and bog communities

88

149

Portage Brule Rapids Liard 110 km SE of Watson Lake unique hot spring, river bank, and forest environments along the Liard River

724

97

* Race Rocks Southern Vancouver Island SW of Victoria outstanding marine life, sea lion haul out, sea birds

2

225

26

Ram Creek Kootenay Region SE of Canal Flats hotsprings and regenerating burnt forest communities

121

91

Raspberry Harbour Omineca Willisten Lake NW of Finlay Forks high quality lodgepole pine stand for the benefit of forest research

143

111

* Robson Bight (Michael
Bigg)
Northern Vancouver Island Tsitika Valley, Johnston Strait orca rubbing beach and critical habitat area

467

1,248

150

Rolla Canyon Peace near Dawson Creek protects special natural, cultural, heritage and recreational features

43

18

** Rose Islets Southern Vancouver Island N of Reid Island originally established for a cormorant colony, still used by seabirds

1

10

Rose Spit Haida Gwaii NE point of Graham Island sand spit, open dunes and shoreline meadow communities

170

0

22

Ross Lake Okanagan Area Skagit Valley Recreation Area ponderosa pine in Coastal Douglas-fir forest

61

83

San Juan Ridge Southern Vancouver Island E of Port Renfrew protection of rare white avalanche lily (Erythronium montanum)

98

141

San Juan River Estuary Southern Vancouver Island 5 km NE of Port Renfrew representative alluvial forest communities; red-listed tooth-leaved monkey-flower, endemic to BC

185

16

11

** Sartine Island Northern Vancouver Island part of Scott Islands seabird colony supporting approximately 3/4 of a million sea birds

30

1,061

67

Satellite Channel Southern Vancouver Island N of Saanich Peninsula subtidal marine ecosystems

0

340

15

Saturna Island (to GINPR) Southern Vancouver Island Southern ridge of Saturna Island young and mature Douglas-fir forest

131

46

Sikanni Chief River Liard Headwaters of Sikanni Chief River Engelmann spruce at the northern edge of its range and subalpine lichens

2,401

89

Skagit River Cottonwoods Okanagan Area Skagit Valley Recreation Area excellent cottonwood stands reserved for gene pool purposes

69

21

Skagit River Forest Okanagan Area Skagit Vailey Recreation Area coast to interior transition zone mixed species in Douglas-fir forest

69

106

Skagit River
Rhododendrons
Vancouver Area Skagit Valley Recreation Area two stands of California rhododendrons; fire induced seral forest

70

63

Skeena River Prince Rupert Area Near mouth of Exchamsiks River mature black cottonwood stands on an alluvial floodplain

91

92

Skihist Vancouver Area NE of Lytton ungrazed ponderosa pine-bunchgrass community

40

88

Skwaha Lake Williams Lake / Kamloops Area N of Lytton subalpine forest and flower meadow communities

850

80

Smith River Liard Near junction with Liard River representative of boreal black and white spruce communities

1,326

3

Soap Lake Williams Lake / Kamloops Area S of Spences Bridge saline lake and grassland community of the dry interior

884

14

** Solander Island Northern Vancouver Island W of Brooks Peninsula seabird colony in excess of 100,000 birds primarily Cassin’s Auklet

7.7

0

131

Stoyoma Creek Vancouver Area near Boston Bar meeting of three biogeoclimatic zones; to conserve special seed provenances

76

39

Sunbeam Creek Prince George Area N of McBride subalpine communities of the western edge of the Rocky Mountains

511

90

Sutton Pass Southern Vancouver Island W of Port Alberni rare northern adder’s-tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum)

3.4

41

Tacheeda Lakes Prince George Area N of Prince George forest communities representative of the MacGregor Plateau

526

119

Tahsish River Northern Vancouver Island S of Port McNeill pristine west coast estuary

56

31

38

Takla Lake Prince Rupert Area E of Hazelton most northerly occurrence of Douglas-fir in the BC interior

240

66

Ten Mile Point Southern Vancouver Island Victoria intertidal and subtidal marine ecosystem

1

14

73

Torkelsen Lake Haida Gwaii / Prince Rupert Area W of Babine Lake low moorlands with cloudberry

182

9

Tow Hill Haida Gwaii NE Graham Island forested sand dunes, swamp and peat bog communities

450

69

29

Tranquille Williams Lake / Kamloops Area W of Kamloops ponderosa pine and sagebrush communities

235

132

* Trial
Islands
Southern Vancouver Island S of Oak Bay outstanding assemblage of rare plant species

23

13

** Triangle Island (Anne
Vallee)
Northern Vancouver Island Outermost of Scott Islands BC’s largest seabird and sea lion colony estimated to support one million birds

119

861

7

Trout Creek Okanagan Area SSW of Summerland represents ponderosa pine parkland communities

75

122

Tsitika Mountain Northern Vancouver Island S of Port McNeill alpine communities, wet subalpine forest, unusual terraced fen and small lake

554

124

Tsitika River Northern Vancouver Island S of Port McNeill low elevation bog, fen, swamp complex

110

61

Upper Shuswap River Kootenay Region E of Mabel lake western red cedar community in the inland rainforest

70

30

Vance Creek Kootenay Region N of Lumby Douglas-fir and Englemann spruce forests and riparian communities

49

45

Vladimir J. Krajina (Port
Chanal)
Haida Gwaii W coast of Graham Island pristine shoreline, subtidal forest, muskeg andalpine communities plus a sea bird colony

8,057

1,117

35

Westwick Lake Williams Lake / Kamloops Area S of Williams Lake shoreline and grassland community surrounding an interior Chilcotin lake

27

27

Whipsaw Creek Okanagan Area SW of Princeton ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir stands, open grassy understory

32

114

Williams Creek Prince Rupert Area SE of Terrace representative coastal western hemlock forest and outstanding terraced bogs

700

142

Woodley Range Southern Vancouver Island 2 km N of Ladysmith exceptional plant species richness; sensitive meadow and woodland ecosystems

166

144

Yale Garry Oak Vancouver Area E of Yale protects the most easterly isolated Garry oak ecosystem

11.65

139

Yellowpoint
Bog
Southern Vancouver Island formerly Ladysmith Bog, 10 km S of Nanaimo unique biological association of bog plants, sphagnum mosses, bladderwort, sundew, etc.

138

TOTALS

112,543

51,731

(GINPR) – ER transferred to the Gulf Islands National Park,
(GHNPR) – ER transferred to the Gwaii Haanas National Park,
Metro Vancouver – ER transferred to Metro Vancouver

155………..Pink Mountain (Proposed ER)– North Eastern BC

156………..Elphinstone Additions (Proposed ER)– Vancouver Area- Includes Dakota Bowl

157…………Eosine Fossil Sites (Proposed ERs)– Okanagan

158…………Koksilah/Eagle Heights (Proposed ER)– Southern Vancouver island

159…………Fording River Grasslands (Proposed ERs)– Kootenay Region

Click here to download an Excel file of the above table.