David Otter Management Plan

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Management Plan for 
David Otter Nature Reserve    
Bowen Island, British Columbia 
 
 
Photo by Ryan Durand, Taara Environmental 
 
 
 
Prepared for: 
  
 Islands Trust Fund 
 
May 2007 
 
Prepared by:  
 
Meeri Durand & Ryan Durand, 
R.P.Bio. 
 
 
Approved by the Trust Fund Board 
(Resolution  # TFB  07/925) 

 
  
I 
Executive Summary 
 
In 2006, the Islands Trust Fund acquired the 3.04 hectare (7.5 acre) property now known 
as  the  David  Otter  Nature  Reserve  as  the  result  of  a  generous  donation  by  the  previous  
owners, Neil Boyd and Isabel Otter. A conservation covenant is held on the property by 
the Bowen Island Municipality. 
 
Islands Trust Fund policy requires that a management plan be developed for all properties 
that it owns or manages. In January 2007, Taara Environmental was retained to develop a 
management plan for the David Otter Nature Reserve.  
 
The Islands Trust Fund objectives for the management of the David Otter Nature Reserve 
are as follows: 
 
• To preserve the natural features and functioning of the site; 
• To ensure that permitted uses do not harm the ecological attributes of the site; 
• To protect, and enhance where necessary, the natural succession of the plant and 
animal communities at the site; and  
• To provide for educational and research opportunities where deemed appropriate. 
 
The property is characterized by a series of ridges and benches and second growth young 
to mature western hemlock and western red cedar forest, with occasional Douglas-fir and 
western red cedar veterans. Several rocky outcrops and two small streams are also found 
on the property. Two potential blue-listed species may occur within the reserve and two 
blue-listed ecological communities have been identified.  
 
The  property  contains  an  easement  running  north  and  south  across  the  reserve  for  well  
access in favor of the donors, as well as an informal network of walking trails accessible 
from  private  property.  The  Bowen  Island  Municipality  holds  a  covenant  ensuring  that  a  
ten metre green buffer be maintained along Hikers Trail Road and Mount Gardner Road. 
The reserve’s proximity to Hikers Trail Road, adjacent Crown land and Crippen Regional 
Park increases its value as a natural buffer to these well used natural areas, but off road 
vehicle access from these parcels has damaged the northwest corner of the reserve. 
 
There  is  currently  no  public  access  to  the  David  Otter  Nature  Reserve,  and  as  such  
management  needs  are  limited  to  maintenance  of  the  existing  footpaths  used  by  the  
donors  and  monitoring  and  rehabilitation  of  an  off-road  vehicle  access  point  in  the  
northwest corner of the property. It is also advisable to relocate a gate leading up to the 
Mount Gardner forest lands to deter further trespass into the reserve. 

 
  
II 
Acknowledgements 
 
The  authors  would  like  to  thank  the  Islands  Trust  Fund  staff  for  their  assistan

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