Boundary Bay

  • Located in the Fraser River estuary in Delta, BC
  • Acquired: 1987
  • Size: 32 hectares (79 acres)
  • Online property map

Conservation Importance

Important year-round habitat for many bird species, Boundary Bay is a vital link in the Pacific Flyway, supporting over 1.5 million birds from three continents and 20 countries. As part of the larger Fraser River estuary, it supports the largest wintering shorebird and waterfowl populations in Canada. The area also provides habitat for significant numbers of raptors and marine mammals.

The Fraser Delta is an internationally recognized wintering site for waterfowl and shorebirds and supports the most birds of all of Canada’s Important Bird Areas. Its intertidal mudflats and adjacent agricultural area are the most important wintering area for several hundred thousand waterfowl on the Pacific Coast of Canada.

Between 80,000 and 120,000 ducks can be found in Boundary Bay and surrounding farmland between late summer and early spring. Ducks feed on extensive eelgrass beds in the intertidal zone and vegetation in the foreshore marshes. In mid-November they abruptly switch to feeding in the adjacent farmland where they graze on grasses and leftover root vegetables. Another abrupt switch happens in mid-November when they begin using the farmlands primarily at night and resting offshore during the day. All this waterfowl means there are lots of birds of prey like Bald Eagles, hawks and owls. Keep your eyes peeled for the occasional Snowy Owl that wanders this far south in search of food!

Access & Directions

The Boundary Bay Wildlife Management Area, bordered by the Metro Vancouver Regional Dyke Trail, preserves valuable wildlife habitat but is also available and open to public use. Please be considerate of sensitive wildlife when visiting this conservation area.

Please ensure that dogs are on-leash at all times. Unleashed dogs can cause high stress levels in bird populations, resulting in serious negative implications to bird health.

To get to The Nature Trust of BC’s Boundary Bay property from Vancouver:

  1. Take Highway 99 South towards Richmond.
  2. Follow BC-99 S towards Ladner Trunk Road in Delta. Take exit 23 from BC-99 S.
  3. Turn right onto Ladner Trunk Road, then right onto 72nd Street.
  4. Drive to the end of 72nd past Kings Link Golf Course and park at the end of the road at the junction for the Boundary Bay Dyke Trail.

Bird Watching Boundary BayActivities & Events

Recreationists may use the Boundary Bay Dyke Trail that borders the property for walking, jogging, dog walking, bird watching, photography, and cycling.

Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup events are held throughout the year in Boundary Bay. Metro Vancouver also hosts various events in the area at Boundary Bay Regional Park.

Management & Stewardship

Boundary Bay was secured by The Nature Trust of BC and leased to the Province to be included in the larger Wildlife Management Area to provide protection to a valuable riparian habitat area lying outside the Mud Bay/Boundary Bay dyke. Conservation management involves Ducks Unlimited Canada mapping and managing invasive English cordgrass colonies and The Nature Trust of BC Lower Mainland Conservation Youth Crews visiting the site throughout the summer to remove marine debris and litter, conduct bird surveys, and host community shoreline cleanup events.

Partners