Qualicum National Wildlife Area pamphlet
What makes Qualicum NWA so special?
Qualicum National Wildlife Area (NWA) protects three separate estuaries on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in a region that attracts millions of birds each year. Established between 1973 and 1979, the NWA’s three units--Rosewall Creek, Marshall-Stevenson and Nanoose Bay--protect a total of 82 hectares of coastal Douglas-fir forest, upland meadow and intertidal marsh habitat.
Qualicum NWA:
- provides staging habitat for major concentrations of migratory waterfowl such as Brant geese;
- protects wintering habitat for Trumpeter Swans, shorebirds and colonial seabirds;
- is part of the “Little Qualicum Estuary to Nanoose Bay” Important Bird Area;
- is part of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve;
- protects habitat for the Great Blue Heron fannini subspecies, a species of special concern.
What are Environment and Climate Change Canada Protected Areas?
Environment and Climate Change Canada establishes marine and terrestrial NWAs for the purposes of conservation, research and interpretation. NWAs are established to protect migratory birds, species at risk, and other wildlife and their habitats. NWAs are established under the authority of the Canada Wildlife Act and are, first and foremost, places for wildlife.
Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (MBSs) are established under the authority of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and provide a refuge for migratory birds in marine and terrestrial environments. The current Protected Areas Network consists of 54 NWAs and 92 MBSs comprising more than 12 million hectares across Canada.
What can I do at Qualicum NWA?
Access to Qualicum NWA is permitted. No hunting is permitted in Marshall-Stevenson or Nanoose Bay units, but waterfowl hunting is permitted in Rosewall Creek unit (subject to federal and provincial hunting regulations). For certain types of activities, additional federal or provincial permits may be required. More information on access and permitting for Qualicum NWA can be obtained by contacting the Environment Canada regional office.
Long description of the map
Location of the NWA on an illustrated map of Canada. The NWA location is indicated by a general annotation in the province of British Columbia.
Who can I contact?
Environment and Climate Change Canada - Pacific and Yukon RegionCanadian Wildlife Service
5421 Robertson Road
Delta, British Columbia V4K 3N2
1-800-668-6767
Email: ec.enviroinfo.ec@canada.ca
Protected Area web site
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