Bowen Island - Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory

This document presents a map-based inventory of sensitive ecosystems on Bowen Island, showing the spatial distribution of various ecosystem types across the island.

Legend and Ecosystem Classifications:

The inventory identifies and maps seven distinct sensitive ecosystem types using the following codes:

CB - Coastal Bluff: Vegetated rocky bluffs, rocky shoreline/grassland, rocky shoreline/areas of coastal cliff.

SV - Sparsely Vegetated: Sand dunes, gravel spits and inland cliffs with sparse vegetation.

HT - Terrestrial Herbaceous: Meadows of rare coastal grassland and/or moss-covered rock outcrops, typically occur as openings in forested areas or adjacent to Garry oak woodlands.

WN - Wetland: Wet soil and moisture-dependent plants, includes bogs, fens, marsh, swamps, shallow water and aquatic wetlands.

RI - Riparian: All stages of floodplain vegetation including riparian ecosystems associated with lake shorelines and gullies.

WD - Woodland: Open stands of Garry oak or blending aspen, mixed stands of Douglas fir-Garry oak and Douglas fir-arbutus.

OF - Older Forest: Older than 100 years; coniferous, or mixed with broadleaf species.

SG - Older Second Growth: (No specific description provided in legend, but shown as distinct ecosystem type on map)

Map Features:

The map shows the entire island of Bowen Island with cadastral boundaries (property lines) overlaid. Wetlands are highlighted in blue/purple areas. Riparian zones are shown as 30-meter buffer zones along streams. The streams themselves are indicated on the map. Various ecosystem types are color-coded and labeled throughout the island according to the legend codes.

A note indicates that riparian zone areas have been updated with results of GPS mapping for Bowen Island.

The map includes a compass rose indicating north direction and a scale bar showing distances from 0 to 5 kilometers with intermediate markings at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 kilometers. The scale is noted as 1:10,000.

Map Visual Description:

Page 1: The primary visual element is a detailed map of Bowen Island showing the island's outline and topography. The island appears roughly triangular in shape with an irregular coastline featuring numerous bays and inlets. The map uses different colors to denote various ecosystem types: darker green/olive tones for older forest and second growth areas, blue/teal for riparian zones and wetlands, lighter tan/yellow for herbaceous areas, and other colors for coastal bluffs and specialized ecosystems. White lines throughout the map represent cadastral boundaries (property lines). There are two dark blue/black areas that appear to be lakes or large water bodies - one in the upper central portion of the island and one in the lower central area. The eastern side of the island shows more dense development with visible road networks and smaller property parcels, while the western portions show larger undeveloped areas with extensive forest cover. Streams are shown as blue lines flowing throughout the island's terrain, with 30-meter riparian buffer zones marked along them.