Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, Provincial park in Central Saanich, Canada
Gowlland Tod Provincial Park covers 1,219 hectares of mixed forest with Douglas-fir, Arbutus, western redcedar, and Garry oak trees along the Saanich Inlet coastline. The park features diverse forest types and coastal habitats accessible from several entry points.
The park was established in 1993 and named after the Gowlland Range and Tod Inlet, whose ecosystems it protects. Its boundaries were redrawn in 2012, changing the park's size. Long before settlers arrived, the area was hunting and fishing ground for First Nations, and archaeological artifacts remain in the park.
The park lies at the southern edge of the Saanich Peninsula, named after the Saanich, the Coast Salish people who have lived here since long before settlers arrived. Archaeological artefacts left by them have been found at various spots in the park. The Gowlland Range and Tod Inlet give the park its name.
The park has multiple entry points including Tod Inlet near Brentwood Bay, Mackenzie Bight from Ross Durrance Road, and Caleb Pike Road, offering different starting points for exploration. Each access point allows visitors to explore different sections of the park.
The park's 1,219 hectares include 325 hectares of tidal zone along Finlayson Arm and Tod Inlet. Tides from the Strait of Georgia still rise about 3 metres at the head of the arm, and at low tide mussel beds and other marine life are exposed on the shore. The fish draw ospreys and bald eagles.
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