Solander Island Ecological Reserve
| Solander Island Ecological Reserve | |
|---|---|
 Solander Island in the distance, seen from Brooks Peninsula | |
  Location of Solander Island on Vancouver Island  Location of Solander Island in British Columbia | |
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Coordinates | 50°06′00″N 127°56′00″W / 50.10000°N 127.93333°W[1] |
| Area | 7.7 ha (19 acres) |
| Max. elevation | 90 metres (300 ft) |
| Established | May 4, 1971 |
| Governing body | BC Parks |
Solander Island Ecological Reserve is a 7.7 ha (19 acres) protected area on an island 1.5 km (0.9 mi) west of Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park off the northwest coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was established in 1971.[2] The reserve is closed to the public to protect the habitat of nesting seabirds.
The island was named in honour of Daniel Carlsson Solander, similar to the Solander Islands off New Zealand.[3] It was previously referred to as "Solander Rock" and "Split Rock". A weather station is maintained by Environment Canada.[4]
Ecology
Solander Island does not have any trees. It is covered in grass and low-growing vegetation. Plant species observed on the island include salmonberry and hairy goldfields (Lasthenia maritima), a plant of special concern in British Columbia. [4][5]
Solander Island is home to numerous bird species including the tufted puffin, Leach's storm petrel, Cassin's auklet, pelagic cormorant, glaucous-winged gull and pigeon guillemot. The island is devoid of land mammals, but is used as a seasonal haul-out for Steller sea lions, California sea lions, and sea otters.[4]
References
- ^ "SOLANDER ISLAND" (PDF). BC Parks. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ "Solander Island Ecological Reserve". BC Parks. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ "Solander Island". BC Geographical Names. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ a b c "SOLANDER ISLAND" (PDF). BC Parks. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ "Lasthenia maritima". E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
