Located at a narrow part of the Strait, the area covers 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi) of ocean, rocks, and reefs, but does not include the small envelope of land with the foghorn and the historic Race Rocks Lighthouse itself. That area is leased by the Canadian Coast Guard.
Because of the location in a high tidal current area, there is an exceptional variety of marine life to be found, including marine mammals, sea birds, fish, marine invertebrates, and marine algae and sea grass. It is a haulout area for California and Northern sealions and a birthing rookery for Harbour seals and it is also the most northerly birthing colony on the Pacific Coast of North America for the elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris.[2]
Historyedit
The idea of protecting Race Rocks came about following a marine science project by the students of Pearson College UWC under the supervision and guidance of their teachers, Garry Fletcher and Marks McAvity, in 1978. They described an area of great biodiversity and ecological importance. In 1980, the rocks and surrounding areas were protected as an ecological reserve under joint BC Parks-Pearson College UWC management.[3]
race, rocks, ecological, reserve, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Race Rocks Ecological Reserve news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message Race Rocks Ecological Reserve is a BC Parks ecological reserve off the southern tip of Vancouver Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Metchosin British Columbia Canada Race Rocks Ecological ReserveIUCN category Ia strict nature reserve 1 Race Rocks LightLocation in British ColumbiaShow map of British ColumbiaLocation off Vancouver IslandShow map of Vancouver IslandLocation in Capital Regional DistrictShow map of Capital Regional DistrictLocationMetchosin British ColumbiaNearest cityLangfordCoordinates48 17 56 N 123 31 52 W 48 299 N 123 531 W 48 299 123 531Area220 ha 540 acres DesignationEcological ReserveEstablished1980Governing bodyBC ParksWebsiteBC Parks Race Rocks ER Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription editLocated at a narrow part of the Strait the area covers 3 km2 1 2 sq mi of ocean rocks and reefs but does not include the small envelope of land with the foghorn and the historic Race Rocks Lighthouse itself That area is leased by the Canadian Coast Guard Because of the location in a high tidal current area there is an exceptional variety of marine life to be found including marine mammals sea birds fish marine invertebrates and marine algae and sea grass It is a haulout area for California and Northern sealions and a birthing rookery for Harbour seals and it is also the most northerly birthing colony on the Pacific Coast of North America for the elephant seal Mirounga angustirostris 2 History editThe idea of protecting Race Rocks came about following a marine science project by the students of Pearson College UWC under the supervision and guidance of their teachers Garry Fletcher and Marks McAvity in 1978 They described an area of great biodiversity and ecological importance In 1980 the rocks and surrounding areas were protected as an ecological reserve under joint BC Parks Pearson College UWC management 3 In 1998 Race Rocks was proposed to become the first marine protected area of Canada However Fisheries and Oceans Canada deemed the site unfit for the new designation and the bid was cancelled in 2000 Instead the Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents would go on to become the first marine protected area in 2003 citation needed In 2006 and 2007 the Race Rocks Tidal Power Demonstration Project was installed After a six year period for experimental research the tidal energy generator was removed citation needed See also editTrial Islands Ecological ReserveReferences edit Race Rocks Ecological Reserve Protected Planet Retrieved 2020 09 15 Elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris at Race Rocks Race Rocks Ecological Reserve History of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve Race Rocks Ecological Reserve External links editHome page of racerocks com and racerocks ca website Pearson College UWC Images of Race Rocks on Google Earth Race Rocks on the Friends of Ecological Reserves website nbsp This British Columbia protected areas related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Race Rocks Ecological Reserve amp oldid 1159649519, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
