Sakinaw–Ruby–Garden Bay KBA​
.... on BC's Sunshine Coast
Do you know what a KBA is? We didn’t so we have gathered some information to share with you.
KBA (Known Biodiversity Area)
KBA stands for Known Biodiversity Area. This story began about 10 years ago when the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) created a global standard to identify sites critical to the conservation of biodiversity.
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In Canada this initiative was advanced by KBA Canada, which is a coalition of governments, NGOs, universities and other institutions and organizations that are working together to lead the identification of KeyBiodiversity Areas in Canada, and to promote the use of KBA information in conservation action and decision-making.
In 2021, Canada was the first country to develop a “national” KBA standard. Today, through rigorous scientific reviews, a growing number of KBAs have been identified across our country, identifying and highlighting the often under-appreciated richness, diversity and intactness of lifeforms that can be observed today. A KBA designation highlights ecological value but does not inherently provide legal protection; rather, it informs and encourages further conservation action.
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If you wish to learn more about our National Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas in Canada, the official document is in our library and can be accessed by clicking here.
KBA BC320 was officially recognized in 2025. Sakinaw, Ruby and GardenBay lakes dominate this KBA and our rather tiny and fragile Hotel Lake occupies the southernmost tip as this map shows. While the official designation is KBA BC320, it is generally referred to as “Sakinaw–Ruby–Garden Bay KBA on BC's Sunshine Coast”. This KBA identifies areas essential for the survival of these three threatened species: Sockeye Salmon, Western Painted Turtles, and the Oregon Branded Skipper (a small butterfly).
KBA Caretakers ?
Paired with the creation of these KBAs is an opportunity for the public to be involved as “KBA Caretakers”. Citizens interested in becoming more involved with a specific KBA or multiple KBAs can consider becoming a Caretaker and joining a network of over 300 individuals across Canada. Caretakers are community stewards, carrying out conservation actions at their KBAs to help slow the loss of biodiversity. To volunteer as a Caretaker, support a regional KBA Program or learn more about how you can be involved, please contact Amanda Bichel, KBA Coordinator (abichel@birdscanada.org).
But here is another way to take part in KBAs and other ongoing research initiatives. iNaturalist provides you with several data-entry portals for you to participate with your own data on animals and wildlife sightings.
To start things off in this direction, we would like to introduce you to iNaturalist.ca. We have mentioned this on many of our webpages, but it all comes together here as we will spend some time orientating you on how you can become an active contributor to greater understandings in the future.
As you can see on the map below, you are not going to be the first! Yes, thats our Hotel Lake near the bottom of the map.
It may be hard to believe, but iNaturalist.ca is free! You join by signing up and doing a little reading and then you're all set to go. There are lots of excellent videos and we have placed one below. To date, some 22 million observations have been logged on iNaturalist. The coloured pins on the map above show some of the observations already logged locally by both visitors and residents of Garden Bay. So now, when you're out for a walk and see "something".....you too can log your observations so that they are available for future scientific research. Even better, you can explore all the data yourself and find out where sightings have been made of any plant or animal that you might be interested in.
One of our Hotel Lake neighbours, Jenn Blancard, has logged several hundred observations on iNaturalist.ca. So we asked her if she would give us an insider view of how easy it can be to collect and submit meaningful data for the future.
Here are Jenn's words, written just for you:
Jenn Blancard: "iNaturalist is an incredible tool in aiding in identification of organisms as well as contributing to a global database. While rambling along the coastlines or in the forests surrounding the Sunshine Coast, I always spot something new and intriguing. I love being able to take out my phone and to snap a picture of whatever has caught my eye. I then open the iNaturalist ap and upload the photo to iNaturalist and select suggestions.
Sometimes, it is easy to identify what an organism is and sometimes, I can only guess the wider classification of the organism such as plant or insect etc. I then put my phone away and forget about it for the remainder of my outing. But, the identification doesn't stop there. In the background there are like minded people, naturalists, researchers, and taxonomists who are waiting to confirm your observations. If you have 2 people confirm your species, then it is entered into a global database where anyone can access the information.
This is incredibly powerful for researchers as we cannot be in all areas at all times. Also, people may upload an observation without realizing how incredibly unique that organism is. For example, I came across a ladybug in Francis Point Park. I thought it was cute and added it to iNaturalist to see what species it was. I guessed wrong, but a researcher from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change contacted me about the details of my finding. It turns out it was a species at risk and he was working on recovery plans and habitat protections.
A few tips that make using iNaturalist easier.
1. Sign-up on the app; it's free and easy to use.
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2. When out and about, take a photo of something that interests you. You can wait until you get home and connected to the internet to upload observations which saves on data.
3. Turn-on your phone “location” settings; if location settings are not turned on, you will have to manually input the photo’s location on a map. The location is extremely important for identification purposes.
4. Do not be scared to input the easiest identifiable feature. If you know it is a plant but have no idea what kind, choose “plant”. It will narrow down the observation for people who specialize in those areas so that they can find it better.
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5. Don't be afraid to guess wrong. I have had many discussions with people on the app about why they identified it in a certain way. The iNaturalist community is extremely helpful and friendly. Have fun. It is an incredible world out there and when you start looking, there are so many new things to find!….and share!" Jenn.
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Thanks Jenn!! And below is a great little video.
Next Step: go to iNaturalist and sign in: https://inaturalist.ca/
Because three endangered animals were identified within our local KBA, we felt it would be appropriate to introduce them to you.
We have already published a webpage on Painted Turtles A new webpage on the Oregon Branded Zipper is coming soon. We will also update your on the Sockeye Salmon in Sakinaw Lake in the future.