Today is World Oceans Day—for a few more minutes anyway—what better time to share a little slice of the ocean I love, to celebrate the diversity of life teeming along the seashore in Bamfield, British Columbia, while also remembering that our coastlines are fragile, vital and in desperate need of better stewardship.
This is part 2 of a three-part series reflecting on my time working at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre. Last week was about a few of my favourite adventures over the past four months in Bamfield; today I will share photos and tidbits about a sliver of the different trees, mosses, sea stars, mammals, anemones, birds, nudibranchs, seaweeds, amphibians, crustaceans, ferns and all the other types of organisms that call the West Coast of Vancouver Island home. Enjoy!
- Early morning in Bamfield Inlet, the perfect time for a little ocean appreciation.
Where the land meets the sea is where you find the greatest diversity of marine animals, everyone seeking food, shelter and maybe a mate in the productive waters along the coast.
And then, of course, there are the seaweeds…
The connection of land and sea is apparent in the coastal forests of B.C. where air flowing in from the Pacific creates a climate of cool summers, mild winters and lots and lots of rain. This temperate rainforest, the Coastal Western Hemlock zone, is characterized by ferns, mosses and gigantic evergreens and Bamfield is smack-dab in the middle of it.
And in these lush forests you can also find an animal or two…
Remember, wherever you live, the decisions you make as a consumer and citizen have a either a negative, neutral or positive impact on our oceans. Choose wisely.
Resources:
The Ecology of the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone (pdf)
Biodiversity of B.C. (pdf)
Amphibians of Vancouver Island and Gulf Island. Saltspring Island Conservancy (pdf)
Black Bears in British Columbia. B.C. Ministry of Environment, Land and Parks (pdf)
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