Ecology Links

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Conservation and Eco-Links

The Islands Trust Fund is the conservation land trust for Canada's islands in the Salish Sea. The ITF works with property owners to protect private land. On Pender, ITF is PICA’s partner in the protection of the Medicine Beach marsh and nature sanctuary and with PICA is the co-covenant holder of a number of conservation covenants.

The Land Trust Alliance of BC

PICA is a member of the Land Trust Alliance of B.C. LTABC is dedicated to the stewardship and conservation of natural and cultural heritage through support of land trusts, conservancies and others. They provide education, research, communication and financial services.

Pacific Salmon Foundation

The Pacific Foundation is an independent, nongovernmental, charitable organization which works to protect, conserve and restore wild Pacific salmon populations in British Columbia and the Yukon. To provide thoughtful leadership in the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of Pacific salmon and their ecosystems. The PSF has given PICA a number of grants to help with the cost of equipment and materials for the Hope Bay Salmon Stream Recovery Project and for PICA's Forage Fish Monitoring work.

Seachange Marine Conservation Society

SeaChange Marine Conservation Society educates the public about marine and watershed ecology through hands-on interactive outdoor programs. Seachange also restores marine nearshore eelgrass habitats in BC, in partnership with coastal communities, from Boundary Bay to Haida Gwaii. Seachange worked with PICA volunteers to replant Brackett’s Cove with eelgrass.

Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT)

HAT works to protect ecosystems and habitat permanently through land acquisition, conservation covenants, education and stewardship.

On Pender, HAT has been involved in monitoring the endangered Sharp-tailed snake. HAT is also one of PICA’s partners in securing the future of Brooks Point.

Gulf Islands and the Salish Sea

Bowen Island Conservancy

The Bowen Island Conservancy is committed to protecting and preserving the natural wonders of the island—from endangered coastal bluffs to inland lakes to wetlands and fens.

Denman Conservancy Association

The Denman Conservancy Association is a volunteer organization formed to preserve, protect and enhance the quality of the human and natural environment of Denman Island.

Friends of the San Juans

The mission of the Friends of the San Juans is to protect the land, water, sea, and livability of the San Juan Islands through science, education, stewardship and advocacy.

A Place at the Table: Benefits of Beach Restoration
Shoreline restoration video: what property owners are doing in the San Juans

Galiano Conservancy Association

The Galiano Conservancy has become a broad-based organization whose primary purpose is "To preserve, protect and enhance the quality of the human and natural environment" on Galiano Island.

Gambier Island Conservancy

The Gambier Island Conservancy is dedicated to developing appropriate management strategies to preserve and restore Gambier's biological diversity, and to share knowledge of its ecosystems.

Georgia Strait Alliance

Georgia Strait Alliance's mission is to protect and restore the marine environment and promote the sustainability of Georgia Strait, its adjoining waters and communities.

Gulf Islands Alliance

The Gulf Islands Alliance is a non-profit, grassroots organization with members based on islands under the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust. We work cooperatively and collaboratively with a network of like-minded individuals and organizations throughout the Trust area on matters of inter-islands concern.

Mayne Island Conservancy Society

The Mayne Island Conservancy Society works to foster harmony between nature and community through offering general education and hands-on experiences for residents and visitors related to preserving the ecological integrity of the island for future generations.

Salt Spring Conservancy

The Salt Spring Island Conservancy protects and enhances the natural values of the island and its surrounding waters by acquiring land or covenants, and by educating landholders and the public toward improved land and water stewardship.

Pender Ocean Defenders

A coalition of Pender Islands environmental activists who have come together to form the PenderPod.

SeaChange Marine Conservation Society

Educating young people and the public about marine and watershed ecology through hands-on engaging, joyful and interactive outdoor programs.

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British Columbia

Raincoast Conservation Foundation

Raincoast is a not-for-profit research and public education organization. Raincoast uses peer-reviewed science and grassroots activism to further their conservation objectives. They call this approach ‘informed advocacy’ and it is unique amongst conservation efforts.

BC Nature

BC Nature is a federation of local natural history groups and represents over 53 local nature clubs throughout BC. The legal name is the Federation of British Columbia Naturalists. The federation was formed to “provide naturalists and nature clubs of BC with a unified voice on conservation and environmental issues and to foster an awareness, appreciation and understanding of our natural environment, that it may be wisely used and maintained for future generations.”

Marine Education & Research Society

MERS is a registered Canadian charity dedicated to promoting conservation and understanding of marine ecosystems through scientific research, environmental education, and marine wildlife response.

Invasive Species Council of British Columbia

The Invasive Species Council of British Columbia provides expert information about invasive species and their management in BC.

Young Naturalists’ Club of BC

Young Naturalists are “a special group of young people, aged five to 12 who care about nature in BC, who want to know as much as possible about everything from the smallest beetle burrowing in the earth to the mighty eagle soaring over the forest, and who want to make sure these creatures will always be here, sharing the planet with us.” This group is part of BC Nature.

Western Purple Martin Foundation

The Western Purple Martin Foundation is a charitable, nonprofit society which works with community volunteers to return BC Purple Martins to natural nesting sites. Volunteers mount nest boxes on pilings and count returning adults. In early summer the nests are checked and the chicks are banded. PICA has supported this project for a number of years.

Canada

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

CPAWS vision is to keep at least half of Canada's public land and water wild — forever. They focus on protecting large, connected areas of Canada's wilderness.

Ecojustice

Ecojustice is dedicated to defending Canadians' right to a healthy environment. Their lawyers and scientists work to set legal precedents and strengthen environmental laws.

Nature Conservancy Canada

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada's leading national land conservation organization. A private, non-profit organization, they work with individuals, corporations, other non-profit organizations and governments at all levels to protect the natural areas that sustain Canada’s plants and wildlife.

Info Links

These links will take you to sites which offer information on conservation-related topics.

Green Shores Initiative

Green Shores for Homes is a cross border program between the Islands Trust, San Juan County, and the City of Seattle working together to develop tools to encourage shoreline property owners to protect shorelines using more, softer “green” approaches.

The Whale Museum

The Whale Museum, located in Friday Harbor, Washington, is one of the only museums devoted to a species living in the wild. They promote stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research. Their website has a gallery devoted to the Southern Resident Orcas.

Links to Government Departments and Agencies

Local

Islands Trust

The Islands Trust is a unique federation of local governments serving islands in the Salish Sea. The Trust is responsible for preserving and protecting the islands' unique amenities and environment. The Trust site has links to individual islands as well as a link to MapIT, which provides public access to ecological, property, and other valuable mapping information maintained within the Islands Trust Geographic Information System (GIS).

Capital Regional District

The Capital Regional District (CRD) was incorporated in 1966 as an order of government to provide regional decision-making, shared local government services and local decision-making in rural areas. The CRD's jurisdiction is the Southern tip of Vancouver Island and the surrounding 70 Gulf Islands.

Provincial

BC Ministry of Environment

The Ministry of Environment site offers a comprehensive search function as well as links to a number of agencies and programs. The site also has a news feature which posts up-dates to current news topics.

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

Established in 2003, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve safeguards a portion of British Columbia's beautiful southern Gulf Islands archipelago. These islands are representative of the Strait of Georgia Lowlands, one of the most ecologically at risk natural regions in southern Canada. This small park reserve includes thirty-six square kilometres of land and marine area on fifteen islands, numerous islets and reefs which provide valuable habitat for seals and nesting shorebirds. Additionally twenty-six square kilometres of submerged lands are also administered for national park purpose.

Community Mapping Network

BC natural resource information and maps.

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Federal

Environment Canada

“At Environment Canada (EC), our business is protecting the environment, conserving the country's natural heritage, and providing weather and meteorological information to keep Canadians informed and safe. We support sound environmental decisions. We work to repair the damage of the past, to collect and pass on knowledge, and to develop, implement and enforce policies to prevent future issues. We also work to ensure that Canadians have a safe, clean and sustainable environment today, tomorrow and well into the future.” The Environment Canada site has valuable links to current environmental regulations as well as a link to the Species at Risk Registry.

Parks Canada

“On behalf of the people of Canada, we protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage and foster public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations.” The Parks Canada site has links to all the national parks’ websites as well as links to Species at Risk and news up-dates.

National Marine Conservation Areas

National Marine Conservation Areas, or NMCA for short, are marine areas managed for sustainable use and containing smaller zones of high protection. They include the seabed, the water above it and any species which occur there. They may also take in wetlands, estuaries, islands and other coastal lands. A National Marine Conservation Area for Strait of Georgia is still being worked on.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

The DFO website has links to tide tables, navigation charts, aquaculture, ecosystems, and marine species at risk. Each region has a section with topics and news specific to that region. The Pacific Region page has information on tides and water levels, fishery closures, fishery management plans and new conservation initiatives.

Gulf Island links

Promoting Conservation
Eelgrass Presence on Pender Islands Maps
Salmon Are Sacred

Links to Community Groups on Pender:

Farmers' Institute

Heartwood Folk School

Moving Around Pender (MAP)

Pender Island Community Hall

Pender Island Field Naturalists

Pender Island Museum

Pender Island Parks and Recreation Commission

Pender Islands Trust Protection Society

Water Conservation: