Post Photo Credits to Karen Iwachow and Torrey Archer
The Kwel Nature Sanctuary is a hidden gem on Lasqueti Island. It is comprised of an unassuming twenty-one hectares of forest and is rich in biodiversity and history. This reserve holds the Westcoast’s rare Coastal Douglas Fir ecosystem; this system is significant in part because only 2% remains in existence today. Many of the sensitive species in the Douglas Fir system have been damaged by the long history of logging and farming in the area; in order to allow for regrowth and repair, the sanctuary is not open to the public.
The island has a population of feral sheep who roam around eating young cedar and virtually any other flora that they can reach. Sheep can be pests because they prevent regrowth by eating the saplings and this can create issues for the forest system as a whole. TLC made a visit with Ava from Nanaimo and Area Land Trust (NALT) and Doug Hopwood who works with Islands Trust Fund (ITF) and is a registered forester, to observe how the forest is doing. Spring is a fantastic season to visit as wildflowers start to bloom. We were delighted to find dense populations of sea blush, blue-eyed-Mary, monkey-flower, native buttercup, death camas, and Siberian miners lettuce sprinkled throughout the mossy rock slopes. Not to mention the diversity of moss and lichen species (Karen’s favourite) most notably the reindeer lichen pictured here.
Blending in with the lush moss was a Pacific chorus frog. This frog is commonly found in woodlands of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. You would probably recognize their song; the call of the Pacific chorus frog is often used in films to create a ‘tropical’ sound. The Pacific chorus frog benefits from ephemeral wetlands (pictured below) which are seasonal water sources that typically dry out in summer seasons. Other frog species require year round water bodies in their lifecycle and so the Pacific chorus frog’s ability to survive with seasonal water sources reduces competition between them and other species. The Pacific chorus frog is also better able to avoid predators that require permanent water sources, such as Bullfrogs. As with many other species, Pacific chorus frogs have suffered loss of habitat due to degradation of wetland ecosystems. Although their population is currently stable and abundant, further habitat loss may see a decline in numbers of Pacific chorus frogs. Because of this, these frogs are protected under BC’s Wildlife Act. Learn more about protecting wetland systems in BC.
Making yearly monitoring visits to these reserves allows us to see changes in the forests as they progress to older stages of life. These visits also allow us to monitor any activity which could pose concerns to the health of the system such as (baa baa) wild sheep!
Learn more about Kwel Sanctuary.
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