Gulf Islands

This article is about a group of islands in British Columbia, Canada. For other uses, seeGulf Islands (disambiguation).

Gulf Islands

View fromBaynes PeakonSalt Spring Island
Geography
Location	Salish Sea
Coordinates	48°57′N123°32′W
Major islands	20
Administration
Canada
Province	British Columbia
Demographics
Population	23,497 (2016 est.)

TheGulf Islandsis a group ofislandsin theSalish SeabetweenVancouver Islandand themainland coastofBritish Columbia.

Etymology

The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia",the original term used byGeorge Vancouverin his mapping of the southern part of the archipelago and which before theSan Juan Island disputealso was taken to include what have since been called theSan Juan Islands.While geopolitically divided, the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands geologically form part of the larger Gulf Archipelago.

Strictly speaking, the Strait of Georgia is only the wide, open waters of the main strait between the mainland andVancouver Island,and does not officially refer to the adjoining waters between the islands and Vancouver Island but has become a common misnomer for the entire Gulf, which includes waters such asActive Pass(betweenGaliano IslandandMayne Island),Trincomali Channel(between Galiano Island andSaltspring Island),Sansum Narrows(between Saltspring Island and Vancouver Island), andMalaspina Strait(betweenTexada Islandand the mainland aroundPowell River). "The Gulf" refers to all such waters collectively, and to those communities and shores surrounding it.Only the term "Strait of Georgia" remains in the provincial gazette although its use as a synonym for the Gulf is unofficial, while the term Gulf of Georgia remains in current use though not in the provincial gazette.

The termSalish Seawas adopted in 2010 to refer to the Strait of Georgia, theStrait of Juan de Fuca,Puget Sound,and all connecting and adjoining waters.

Boundaries

According toBC Geographical Names(BCGNIS) the name "Gulf Islands" was originally intended and commonly understood to refer to thearchipelagoat the southern end of the Strait of Georgia; fromGabriola Islandin the north toSaturna Islandin the southeast andD'Arcy Islandin the southwest. During the 1990s, however, the name began to be applied to all the islands in the Strait of Georgia, resulting in the introduction of the term "Southern Gulf Islands", which BCGNIS calls a misnomer, to distinguish the original "Gulf Islands" from the rest, which are sometimes called the "Northern Gulf Islands". BCGNIS further notes thatQuadra Islandis increasingly described as the "northernmost of the Gulf Islands".

Island groups

The division of the Gulf Islands into two groups, the Southern and Northern Gulf Islands, is relatively common. The dividing line is approximately that formed by the city ofNanaimoon Vancouver Island, and the mouth of theFraser Riveron the mainland. The islands of theDiscovery Islands,Howe Sound,andFraser Riverdelta are not considered part of the Gulf Islands.

Southern Gulf Islands

Southern Gulf Islands (highlighted)

The Southern Gulf Islands are near the southern end of theStrait of Georgia,forming an intricate network of waterways between them, collectively referred to as part of theSalish Sea.The Southern Gulf Islands include hundreds of islands and islets, and form part of a larger archipelago that also includes the nearbySan Juan Islandsof thestate of Washingtonin theUnited States.

The major Southern Gulf Islands are:

Island	Regional district	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)
Gabriola	Nanaimo	57.6	4,500	78.1
Galiano	Capital	60.15	1,396	17.4
Mayne	Capital	21	1,304	51
Moresby	Capital	8.34	3	0.4
Pender	Capital	34	2,467	66.0
Penelakut	Cowichan Valley	8.66	302	34.9
Prevost	Capital	6.75	?	?
Salt Spring	Capital	182.7	11,635	63.7
Saturna	Capital	31	465	11.3
Sidney	Capital	8.66	?	?
Thetis	Cowichan Valley	10.36	476	33.8
Valdes	Cowichan Valley	23	10	0.4

Northern Gulf Islands

Texada Island(highlighted) and the surrounding Northern Gulf Islands

The Northern Gulf Islands are located near the northern end of theStrait of Georgia,including all islands south ofSavary Island,the southernmost island of the neighbouringDiscovery Islands.

The major Northern Gulf Islands are as follows:

Island	Regional district	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)
Ahgykson	qathet	9.25	0	0
Denman	Comox Valley	51.03	1,165	22.8
Hardy	Sunshine Coast	7.25	?	?
Hornby	Comox Valley	29.97	958	32.0
Lasqueti	qathet	73.32	399	5.4
Nelson	Sunshine Coast	102.8	?	?
Texada	qathet	300.45	1,053	3.5
Thormanby	Sunshine Coast	8.65	?	?

Ecology

Arbutustrees andsandstonebeaches are common in the Gulf Islands.

The islands and surrounding ocean are rich withecologicallydiverse plants andsea lifeincludingGarry oaks,wild lilies,kelpbeds andOrcas.

The Gulf Islands are home to one of the last remaining pockets ofGarry oak ecosystems.Only about five percent of Garry oak ecosystems remain in their natural state, landing 91 of the approximately 350speciesit supports on the province's list ofspecies at risk.The uniqueMediterranean characteristicsof the islands' climate supports the Garry oak ecosystem. Garry oak ecosystems are home to more plant species, such as thecamas,than any other terrestrial ecosystem in coastal B.C. and are one of Canada's most at-risk naturalhabitats.

Today, Garry oak meadows exist in the shallow and exposedsoilofvalleys,rockyfoothillsand southernslopes—areas that thesettlersof the past 150 years have found unsuitable foragricultureordevelopment.

The Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT), a partnership of a number of governmental and non-governmental agencies that comprise 22 individuals, was established in 1999 after the delegates of the First International Garry Oak Ecosystem Symposium met inVictoriaand declared the ecosystemendangered.Since then, GOERT has been working to motivate public and private restoration of the rare ecosystem and promoteconservationactivities.[1]

Conservation

The unique ecosystem of the islands has been a focal point of conservation efforts for decades.BC Parksoperates a variety of provincial parks on the islands, the oldest beingMount Maxwell Provincial ParkonSalt Spring Island.

In 2003,Parks CanadaestablishedGulf Islands National Park Reserveto protect ecologically important regions of the southeastern Gulf Islands. As aNational Park Reserve,the long-term goal is to protect most of the southeastern Gulf Islands.

In 2012, Parks Canada published a feasibility Study for the proposed Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. The goal of theNational Marine Conservation Areais to protect ecologically significant marine habitats and ensure sustainable use of marine resources. It would also serve as a complement to the existing national park reserve.

Agriculture

Grove positioned on a downward slope, creating a natural drainage system.

In most parts ofCanada,olivetrees cannot thrive; the long, harsh winter and short, humid summer and spring make it difficult for olives to grow comfortably and properly, butPender Island,Saturna Island,andSalt Spring Islandhave aMediterranean style climatethat permits olive production.

Banana Joe Clemente was one of the first Islanders to introduce olive trees to the Southern Gulf Islands in 1993 growing dozens from seed. In 1994/1995, planting a grove of the seed-grown olive trees around a Botchi pit on Salt Spring Island. He also distributed them to Islanders for their private gardens. Banana Joe is also responsible for introducingMusa basjoo,a hardy species of Banana plant to Salt Spring Island.

Farm owner Andrew Butt planted his first olive tree in 2001 at his farm on Pender Island, usingFrantoioandLeccinocultivarsthat he obtained fromCalifornia.He useskelpobtained from the surrounding straits as fertilizer and uses a pruning method that enhances the sunlight exposure on the trees.Michael Pierce and colleagues established an olive treenurseryon Saturna Island in 2009 that supplied olive trees to the region.

Transportation

The larger populated islands are served byBC Ferries,which operates various vehicle and passenger ferries between the Gulf Islands and to terminals near the major cities of Nanaimo andVictoriaon Vancouver Island as well asVancouveron the mainland.

None of the islands are linked to another island by bridge, the exception beingPender Islandwhich was artificially divided into two by a canal dug in 1903. Various proposals have been made to link one or more of the islands to another island, or with the mainland coast of the province, without success. Challenges include high capital costs, the presence of ecologically sensitive ecosystems, the mountainous terrain of the islands,impracticalitydue to the low population of the islands, and opposition from locals.

See also

• List of islands of Canada
• Islands Trust
• Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area

External links

• Southern Gulf Islandstravel guide from Wikivoyage
• Gulf Islands National Park ReserveArchived2005-08-18 at theWayback Machine— Parks Canada
• Come to the IslandsCanadian GeographicSpecial Feature on B.C.'s Gulf Islands
• Southern Gulf Islands Atlas
• Islands Trust