Ministry of Environment Sensitive Ecosystems Inventories

East Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands SEI Home Page

The east coast of Vancouver Island and the adjacent Gulf Islands form a unique ecological region in Canada. The Mediterranean-type climate and long growing season support many rare species of plants and, animals, and plant communities. Unfortunately, it is also one of two areas in British Columbia where the greatest loss of natural systems occurs. Intense development pressures throughout this region have resulted in the fragmentation, degradation, and loss of these natural ecosystems.

The Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory (SEI) of East Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands was coordinated and overseen by a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) consisting of representatives from: Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS); Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (Vancouver Island Region, Nanaimo); and Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (Conservation Data Centre), Victoria. Major funding for the project was provided by Environment Canada (Pacific Coast Joint Venture) and the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund. Additional funds were contributed by B.C.'s Corporate Resources Inventory Initiative, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Capital and Comox-Strathcona Regional Districts, Provincial Capital Commission, Islands Trust, City of Nanaimo and the District of Campbell River. Fisheries and Oceans Canada provided additional stream data to supplement the TRIM (Terrain Resource Information Management) digital base maps.