Salt Spring is home to a wide variety of ecosystems and habitats that are intricately interconnected. Nutrients from the Salish Sea — carried inland by birds of prey, otters, and other predators — feed the forests, which in turn help regulate the freshwater systems that sustain life across the island.
From the multi-layered canopies of differently aged trees to the living soils beneath the forest floor, a healthy forest supports a rich structural complexity that provides food and habitat for the species that call it home. In between, lush understories filled with berry bushes and native plants — along with standing or fallen woody debris — create a vital refuge for newts, salamanders, woodpeckers, bats, and many others.
But right now, 98% of Salt Spring’s ecological communities are at risk
That includes our globally rare Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) forests, which support everything from wetlands and Garry oak meadows to pollinators, songbirds, and eelgrass beds along our shores. These systems are deeply intertwined, and when we lose biodiversity in our forests, we also lose the health of our streams, shorelines, and soils.
Why Biodiversity Matters
Biodiversity — the variety of life in a given area — makes our island more resilient. When forests are biologically rich, they’re better able to withstand droughts, wildfires, and disease. They also:
- Store carbon and support climate action
- Filter water and prevent erosion
- Provide food and homes for birds, pollinators, amphibians, and mammals
- Keep ecosystems balanced and thriving
CDF forests also act as a refugium — a place where species can recover and regenerate after environmental disruptions. We need that kind of resilience more than ever.
What’s Threatening Local Biodiversity?
- Ongoing forest loss and habitat fragmentation
- Invasive species like broom, gorse, and ivy
- Over-browsing by deer, limiting forest regeneration
- Loss of native understorey plants and healthy soil life
- The compounding effects of development and climate change
How You Can Help
You don’t have to be a scientist to make a difference. Small, place-based actions can support biodiversity where you live:
- Protect native vegetation — especially shrubs and groundcover
- Foster forest diversity — aim for a mix of species, tree ages, and canopy layers
- Leave logs and branches on the ground — they create essential habitat
- Remove invasive species
- Exclude deer from sensitive areas to help native plants regenerate
- Get to know your forest — observe, learn, and connect with local stewardship groups
Together, we can support the natural systems that make Salt Spring such a vibrant and special place to call home.