Bowen Island Conservancy

Protecting the forests, wetlands and shorelines of Bowen Island since 1997, through land conservation, stewardship and education.

Bowen’s ecosystems are small and closely connected. A wetland drained for a driveway changes the stream below it; a stand of old Douglas-fir felled on one lot changes the light and moisture in the next. Most of what we do starts with noticing those connections.

Our volunteers monitor covenanted land, count amphibians at the spring migration, and pull invasive plants along the trails. Everyone is welcome, and no experience is needed.

Backyard biodiversity

Your garden is habitat. A brush pile shelters wrens and garter snakes; a patch of native salal and Oregon grape feeds bees well before the lavender blooms.

Start with what’s already there

Before planting anything, spend a week noticing what visits. Note the birds at dawn, the insects on the flowers at midday, and what comes to the water dish at dusk.

• Leave the leaf litter under shrubs over winter.
• Replace one patch of lawn with native groundcover.
• Keep cats indoors during nesting season, April to July.

Native plants for dry, sunny spots

Kinnikinnick, Oregon stonecrop and Garry oak meadow grasses all tolerate Bowen’s summer drought once established.

A note on sourcing

Buy from nurseries that grow from local seed where possible; plants grown far away may flower at the wrong time for our pollinators.

Further reading

Photo credits and sources are listed at the end of each article. Last updated October 2026.