S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest

S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest is a 13 acre conservation property located on S,DÁYES (Pender Island) , WSÁNEĆ Territory.

Photo by Alex Harris /
Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

The campaign to protect S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest

In November 2020, Raincoast partnered with the Pender Islands Conservancy to co-purchase a conservation property on S,DÁYES. Despite planning for a six-month fundraising campaign, we secured the required purchase amount in less than three months.

Behind the name: S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest

Globally, bird populations are in significant decline.¹ ² Olive-sided Flycatchers are among the bird species federally listed as threatened, predominantly due to habitat loss. These birds, in particular, find their homes in the fringes of forests bordering wetlands, and these interface ecosystems on the Gulf Islands are among the few places these birds are thriving. As a species linking forests and wetlands, the Flycatcher was chosen as the land’s namesake.

Though the Flycatcher was chosen to symbolize the importance of preserving intact habitat, the placename, S,DÁYES, recognizes the WSÁNEĆ people who have known Pender Islands as home since time immemorial. In SENĆOŦEN, S,DÁYES means “wind drying,” which refers to drying salmon.³ This was the name given to what is now widely known as North Pender Island prior to settler arrival in the area.

About the land

S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest is populated by an assemblage of ecosystems characteristic to the Coastal Douglas-fir zone. It is part of the Shingle Creek wildlife corridor, which also includes land protected within Parks Canada’s Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. The forest shows a legacy of logging, as most forests across the Gulf Islands do, with large fir stumps standing as evidence of the mature forest that once occupied this regenerating system.

Today, maturing Western redcedar and coastal Douglas-fir trees dominate the forest’s canopy, while stands of peeling arbutus occupy the higher elevation slopes at the property’s edges. A forested swamp, now colloquially known as Muskrat Pond, at the north-western corner of the property supports populations of riparian plant species including oceanspray, bigleaf maple, and red alder. Over 50 bird, 4 bat, and a number of amphibian species, including iconic Pacific chorus frogs, call S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest home.

Support restoration work

The future

S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest is the first property purchased by Raincoast with the intention of healing the land and securing its long-term protection with a conservation covenant. Raincoast is working with our property co-owners, the Pender Islands Conservancy, to develop a management and restoration plan for the land. Once a management plan is established, we will register a covenant on the land title. Active restoration and education projects are often underway at S,DÁYES Flycatcher Forest, which to date have included native species planting, removing invasive species (particularly Daphne laurel), and creating a native plant meadow.

donate towards restoration

This campaign was made possible due to the support of many individuals and organizations, including:

Greater Victoria Savings Credit Union
Sitka Foundation
McLean Foundation
Pollinator Partnership
Habitat Conservation Trust Fund

Sponsors & supporters

A turquoise river runs along a forested mountain.

Notes from the field

The wonders of a Fraser River tributary

Delving into the realms of endangered Chinook salmon surveys and the ongoing resurgence of a wolf population.

Map of BC displaying the Fraser River and tributaries as blue lines, the number of salmon that came from each river as orange circles, and the locations of jetty breaches as blue and red pins.

Map science

Fish passage through our habitat restoration projects in the Lower Fraser River and Estuary

We have created a new map to show the success we’ve observed at our habitat restoration sites.

Raincoast updates

Photographers are coming together to support our work

Canadian Conservation has organized an auction that will run until December 1st with 32 photographers.

Conservation updates

We are almost there! Help us permanently protect bears and wolves

Our goal is to raise $305,800 by December 15.

Drone photo of a jetty with the fraser river estuary on either side.

Conservation updates

Construction starts this week!

This week, we are starting the construction of a second breach in the North Arm jetty.

Two killer whales swimming in the ocean.

Investigate and inform

Open letter regarding killer whale behaviour around boats

This letter urges caution in interpreting the causes and nature of the whales’ behaviours.

Investigate and inform

The story of Coastal Douglas-fir forests: All about fungi

In this article, Dr. Shannon Berch and Dr. Paul de la Bastide explain some of the deep relationships between fungi and other species and why it is so essential that we learn more about them.

Chavon Robertshaw wearing a black tee shirt standing in front of trees smiling.

Raincoast updates

Meet Chavon Robertshaw, Raincoast’s Conservation Science Technician

Chavon Robertshaw has joined our Lower Fraser Salmon Conservation and Wolf Conservation Programs as a Conservation Science Technician. Utilizing the education and hands-on training she gained through a diploma program at BCIT, she will be contributing to research efforts and data collection such as surveying Pacific salmon, collecting genetic samples for both salmon and wolf…

Notes and references

BirdLife. (2022). State of the world’s birds 2022: Insights and solutions for the biodiversity crisis. https://www.birdlife.org/papers-reports/state-of-the-worlds-birds-2022/
Rosenberg, K.V et. al (2019). Decline of the North American avifauna. Science, 366. 120–124. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/
Elliot, D. (1990). Saltwater people: As told by Dave Elliot Sr. School District 63 (Saanich): Victoria, BC.