Ministry of Environment Sensitive Ecosystems Inventories

Sunshine Coast Results

Savary Island

In April 2002, The Nature Trust of British Columbia, the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and Environment Canada announced the acquisition of a 147 ha parcel of land on Savary Island. This area contains Western Canada’s only intact example of a rare forested-dune ecosystem that is home to numerous species of plants and animals.

Data on the special nature of this area came in part from the Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory.

Planning and Development

The Sunshine Coast Regional District has used SEI information to review applications to amend one Official Community Plan. The review of the Town of Gibsons Official Community Plan will include Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory data. The SEI is one of the layers of data available in the Sunshine Coast Habitat Atlas.

The Powell River Regional District has used draft data to review two potential development areas. In one case, the SEI revealed that there are no sensitive ecosystems in the area, strengthening the case for development, and in the other, the SEI identified sensitive ecosystems that will need to be considered carefully if development were to proceed.