Wales Island (British Columbia) - Ecology

Ecology

Wales Island lies on the northern edge of the Hecate Lowland Ecosection, a once heavily glaciated band of narrow lowland rain forest and coastal archipelago that stretches from Portland Inlet in the north to Queen Charlotte Strait in the south. Hecate Lowland terrain is generally rough and rocky, with wide areas of muskeg wetland and bog forest. Tree species include western red cedar, yellow cedar, mountain hemlock and fir. Salal, ferns, berry bush and skunk cabbage are commonly found undergrowth. Lowland climate in the Wales Island region is dominated by frontal flows from Dixon Entrance, resulting in frequent wind storms and heavy rainfall.

Waterfowl are found in abundance throughout the protected inlets and estuaries that indent Wales Island’s coastline of 33 miles (53 km). Species include murre, grebe, murrelet, gull, tern, loon, auklet, petrel and eagle. The island’s topography affords a profusion of breeding and nesting habitat for a wide variety of seabirds, and is an integral component of the Pacific coast migratory flyway.