West Beach is located on the northwest shore of Calvert Island, on the central coast of British Columbia. This site has a moderate overall slope. The terrain is mostly even but is bisected by a few large cracks and tidepools.
West Beach is dominated by granite bedrock, with the surrounding area being a mixture of granite bedrock, boulder fields, and sandy beaches. The primary coastal orientation of this site is southwest.
Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at West Beach were established in 2016, and are done by the Hakai Institute. Long-Term monitoring surveys currently target the following species: Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Mytilus (California Mussel), Fucus (Northern Rockweed), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). In addition, mussel size structure and water temperature are monitored at this site. For more information see the Long-Term trends at this site.
Below is a virtual tour of the mussel plots at West Beach.
Below is a virtual tour of the Fucus, barnacle, and sea star plots at West Beach.
For more information about West Beach, please contact Alyssa Gehman (alyssa.gehman@hakai.org).