The Gulf Islands are a group of
islands in the
Salish Sea between
Vancouver Island and the
mainland coast of
British Columbia.
Etymology
The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "
Gulf of Georgia," the original term used by
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver (22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a British Royal Navy officer best known for his 1791–1795 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of what a ...
in his mapping of the southern part of the archipelago and which before the
San Juan Island dispute
The Pig War was a confrontation in 1859 between the United States and the United Kingdom over the British–U.S. border in the San Juan Islands, between Vancouver Island (present-day Canada) and the State of Washington. The Pig War, so calle ...
also was taken to include what have since been called the
San Juan Islands. Strictly speaking, the Strait of Georgia is only the wide, open waters of the main strait between the mainland and
Vancouver 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 as
Active Pass (between
Galiano Island
Galiano Island (Hul'qumi'num: ''Swiikw'') is one of the Southern Gulf Islands located between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Located on the west side of the Strait of Georgia, the island is bordered by Mayne I ...
and
Mayne Island),
Trincomali Channel
Trincomali Channel is a channel located in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada.
Etymology
Trincomali Channel is named for the ship HMS ''Trincomalee'', which was assigned to the Royal Navy's Pacific Station at Esquimalt from 1852 to 185 ...
(between Galiano Island and
Saltspring Island),
Sansum Narrows Sansum Narrows is a strait or channel between Vancouver Island (W) and Saltspring Island (E) in the Southern Gulf Islands region of British Columbia, Canada. The narrows are between Maple Bay and Tl’ulpalus.Arnett, Chris. Two Houses Half-Buried ...
(between Saltspring Island and Vancouver Island), and
Malaspina Strait (between
Texada Island and the mainland around
Powell 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 term
Salish Sea was adopted in 2010 to refer to the Strait of Georgia, the
Strait of Juan de Fuca,
Puget Sound, and all connecting and adjoining waters.
Boundaries
According to
BC Geographical Names (BCGNIS) the name "Gulf Islands" was originally intended and commonly understood to refer to the
archipelago at the southern end of the Strait of Georgia; from
Gabriola Island
Gabriola Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia (BC), Canada. It is about east of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, to which it is linked by a 20-minute ferry service. It has a land area of about and a resid ...
in the north to
Saturna Island in the southeast and
D'Arcy Island in 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 that
Quadra Island
Quadra Island is a large island off the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Discovery Islands, in the Strathcona Regional District.
Etymology
In 1903, the island was named after the Peruvian Spanish n ...
is 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 of
Nanaimo
Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "H ...
on Vancouver Island, and the mouth of the
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual d ...
on the mainland. The islands of the
Discovery Islands,
Howe Sound, and
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual d ...
delta are not considered part of the Gulf Islands.
Southern Gulf Islands
The Southern Gulf Islands are near the southern end of the
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia (french: Détroit de Géorgie) or the Georgia Strait is an arm of the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the extreme southwestern mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada and the extreme northwestern mainland coast ...
, forming an intricate network of waterways between them, collectively referred to as part of the
Salish Sea. The Southern Gulf Islands include hundreds of islands and islets, and form part of a larger archipelago that also includes the nearby
San Juan Islands of the
state of Washington
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
in the
United States.
The major Southern Gulf Islands are:
Northern Gulf Islands
The Northern Gulf Islands are located near the northern end of the
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia (french: Détroit de Géorgie) or the Georgia Strait is an arm of the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the extreme southwestern mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada and the extreme northwestern mainland coast ...
, including all islands south of
Savary Island, the southernmost island of the neighbouring
Discovery Islands.
The major Northern Gulf Islands are as follows:
Ecology
The islands and surrounding ocean are rich with
ecologically diverse plants and
sea life
Sea Life is a chain of commercial sea life-themed aquarium attractions. there are 53 Sea Life attractions (including standalone Sea Life centres, mini Sea Life features within resort theme parks, and Legoland submarine rides) around the world ...
including
Garry oaks, wild lilies,
kelp beds and
Orcas.
The Gulf Islands are home to one of the last remaining pockets of
Garry oak ecosystems. Only about five percent of Garry oak ecosystems remain in their natural state, landing 91 of the approximately 350
species it supports on the province's list of
species at risk
The List of Wildlife Species at Risk currently has more than 800 entries for Canadian wild life species considered vulnerable; including 363 classified as endangered species, —190 threatened species, —235 special concern, and 22 extirpated ( ...
. The unique
Mediterranean characteristics of the islands' climate supports the Garry oak ecosystem. Garry oak ecosystems are home to more plant species, such as the
camas, than any other terrestrial ecosystem in coastal B.C. and are one of Canada's most at-risk natural
habitats
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
.
Today, Garry oak meadows exist in the shallow and exposed
soil of
valleys, rocky
foothills and southern
slopes—areas that the
settlers
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area.
A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer.
Settle ...
of the past 150 years have found unsuitable for
agriculture or
development.
The
Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team
Garry may refer to:
Names
*Gary (given name) or Garry
*Garry (surname)
Places
* Cape Garry, South Shetlands
*Fort Garry, Winnipeg, a district in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
*Garry Lake, Nunavut, Canada
*Rural Municipality of Garry No. 245, Sa ...
(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 in
Victoria and declared the ecosystem
endangered. Since then, GOERT has been working to motivate public and private restoration of the rare ecosystem and promote
conservation activities
Conservation
The unique ecosystem of the islands has been a focal point of conservation efforts for decades.
BC Parks
BC Parks is an agency of the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy that manages all of the, as of 2020, 1,035 provincial parks and other conservation and historical properties of various title designations within t ...
operates a variety of provincial parks on the islands, the oldest being
Mount Maxwell Provincial Park
Mount Maxwell Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada. It is located on Burgoyne Bay and the Sansum Narrows on the western shores of Saltspring Island.
It was established in 1938 for the views afforded ...
on
Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring Island or Saltspring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia, Canada, and Vancouver Island.
The island was initially inhabited by various Salishan peoples before being settled b ...
.
In 2003,
Parks Canada
Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...
established
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve to protect ecologically important regions of the southeastern Gulf Islands. As a
National 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
. The goal of the
National Marine Conservation Area is 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
In most parts of
Canada,
olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...
trees cannot thrive; the long, harsh winter and short, humid summer and spring make it difficult for olives to grow comfortably and properly, but
Pender Island,
Saturna Island, and
Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring Island or Saltspring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia, Canada, and Vancouver Island.
The island was initially inhabited by various Salishan peoples before being settled b ...
have a
Mediterranean style climate that 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 introducing ''Musa 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, using
Frantoio
Frantoio and Leccino cultivars are the principal raw material for Italian olive oils from Tuscany. Frantoio is fruity, with a stronger aftertaste than Leccino.
About the tree
The Frantoio tree grows well in milder climates, but is not as toler ...
and
Leccino
The Leccino olive is one of the primary olive cultivars used in the production of Italian olive oil. Across Italy, it is one of the primary olive cultivars found in olive groves. It is believed to have originated in Tuscany, and it is now grow ...
cultivars
A cultivar is a type of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and when Plant propagation, propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and st ...
that he obtained from
California.
[ He uses kelp obtained 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 tree nursery on Saturna Island in 2009 that supplied olive trees to the region.]
Transportation
The larger populated islands are served by BC Ferries, which operates various vehicle and passenger ferries between the Gulf Islands and to terminals near the major cities of Nanaimo and Victoria on Vancouver Island as well as Vancouver on the mainland.
None of the islands are linked to another island by bridge, the exception being Pender Island which 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, impracticality due 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
References
External links
*
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
— Parks Canada
Come to the Islands
'' Canadian Geographic'' Special Feature on B.C.'s Gulf Islands
Southern Gulf Islands Atlas
Islands Trust
{{authority control
Archipelagoes of British Columbia
Strait of Georgia
Archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean
Agriculture in Canada