The dividing line is approximately that formed by the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, and the mouth of the Fraser River on the mainland.

The major Northern Gulf Islands are as follows: The islands and surrounding ocean are rich with ecologically diverse plants and sea life including Garry oaks, wild lilies, kelp beds and Orcas.

The unique Mediterranean characteristics of the islands' climate supports the Garry oak ecosystem.

Today, Garry oak meadows exist in the shallow and exposed soil of valleys, rocky foothills and southern slopes—areas that the settlers of the past 150 years have found unsuitable for agriculture or development.

Since then, GOERT has been working to motivate public and private restoration of the rare ecosystem and promote conservation activities.

As a National Park Reserve, the long-term goal is to protect most of the southeastern Gulf Islands.

[7] In 2012, Parks Canada published a feasibility Study for the proposed Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve.

In 1994/1995, planting a grove of the seed-grown olive trees around a Botchi pit on Salt Spring Island.

[10] He uses kelp obtained from the surrounding straits as fertilizer and uses a pruning method that enhances the sunlight exposure on the trees.