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  • SILT BioBlitz a Success

    July 20, 2018

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    The Southern Interior Land Trust (SILT) held its first ever BioBlitz last month at its Cold Creek property near Keremeos. We had 17 attendees, including six national and provincial experts in plants, mosses, butterflies, bats and birds. More than 200 species were documented. The information gathered will be used to help SILT plan for…

    Read more: SILT BioBlitz a Success

  • Cold Creek BioBlitz Planned

    May 22, 2018

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    Hi everybody!! First and foremost, I want to thank everyone that is planning to participate in our upcoming BioBlitz to be held on Saturday, June 2nd. It is going to be an excellent day of outdoor fun and species identification! The BioBlitz will run from 6:00 am until 11:00 pm. Download the Agenda  …

    Read more: Cold Creek BioBlitz Planned

  • SILT Hires Executive Director

    June 2, 2017

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    Professional Biologist Al Peatt has been retained by the Southern Interior Land Trust as its executive director — a new direction for the 29-year-old volunteer-run organization — effective June 1st. Peatt was one of the founding directors of the society, so this brings him full-circle. Most recently, he was senior wildlife biologist for the…

    Read more: SILT Hires Executive Director

  • SILT Board Elected for 2017

    April 2, 2017

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    The SILT elected a new Board of Directors at its AGM held on March 18, 2017. President: Ross Everatt Vice President: Rick Simpson Secretary: Judie Steeves Treasurer: Gordon Wilson Directors: Joan Lindsay; Bill Bosch. President Emeritus: Ron Taylor

    Read more: SILT Board Elected for 2017

  • SILT 2016 AGM

    April 8, 2016

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    The SILT Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at the Society’s HO located at 916 Ethel Street, in Kelowna. New members Al Peatt and Rod Torgerson joined the board of directors and Rick Simpson was named vice-president, while the other executive members were re-appointed: Ross Everatt as president, Gord Wilson…

    Read more: SILT 2016 AGM

  • ORWHFS – 2014 AGM

    March 12, 2015

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    The ORWHFS 2014 Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday, February 28, 2015 in room S103B of the Student Services Building at Okanagan College, 1000 KLO Road in Kelowna,   A very BIG THANK-YOU to Okanagan College for providing the meeting room to our organization at no cost. ORWHFS is a 100% volunteer run…

    Read more: ORWHFS – 2014 AGM

  • We Have Changed our Name to Southern Interior Land Trust

    March 22, 2014

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    We are now officially known as The Southern Interior Land Trust Society (SILT). Operating for more than 25 years as The Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund Society, the ORWHFS realized it was time to re-brand and take on a name that was not only shorter and easier to remember but also to align more…

    Read more: We Have Changed our Name to Southern Interior Land Trust

  • ONA and ORWHFS Partner on ORRI Habitat Rehabilitation

    April 10, 2013

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    ORWHFS has partnered with The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) to administer HSP funds for use in habitat rehabilitation for species at risk. The work will primarily be conducted along the Okanagan River Channel that was reclaimed through the ORRI Phase-1 project. The work being carried out by ONA is critical to the Okanagan River…

    Read more: ONA and ORWHFS Partner on ORRI Habitat Rehabilitation

  • Western Painted Turtle – Species of Special Concern

    April 7, 2013

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    At the SILT AGM we held a discussion on whether or not Western Painted Turtles had any special status in British Columbia. Interestingly enough, The Okanagan Sunday Editorial published a very interesting article on the subject (see “Scientists solve puzzle of turtle’s genetic code” on Page A4, Okanagan Sunday, April 7, 2013).

    Read more: Western Painted Turtle – Species of Special Concern

  • Taylor Steps Down as ORWHFS President

    April 7, 2013

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    S1ltrust@dm1n123

    Ron Taylor, President of the Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund Society stepped down from the Board of Directors at the Society’s Annual General Meeting held this past April. After serving more than 20 years as the ORWHFS President, Mr. Taylor turned the reins over to Ross Everatt who was unanimously elected the new President.…

    Read more: Taylor Steps Down as ORWHFS President
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Southern Interior Land Trust Society

Formed in 1988 to purchase land for wildlife in the Okanagan Region, the board of the Southern Interior Land Trust Society, (formerly, Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund Society) aims to conserve and restore wild land as habitat for wildlife, since it is under increasing pressure from development.

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Gordon Wilson – Treasurer

Gord and his wife Shelley moved to the Okanagan in 1980 where they owned and operated a successful construction business for more than 37 years.

Gord’s keen interest in the outdoors and the natural world led to his involvement as a director and treasurer with the Peachland Sportsmen’s Association for more than 30 years. Gord joined the Board of the Southern Interior Land Trust in 2011 and is currently the organization’s secretary / treasurer.

He is now retired from the construction business and lives in the Vernon area.

Lindsay Lalach, RPBio – Vice President

Lindsay began her career in biology after completing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Geography at the University of Victoria. She later earned a Master of Science in Biology from Simon Fraser University, where her research focused on seabird ecology. Growing up in the Okanagan, she developed a deep appreciation for the region’s unique ecosystems and biodiversity, which continues to guide her work today.

She has been involved with the Southern Interior Land Trust (SILT) since 2020. Her experience includes aquatic and riparian surveying, habitat restoration, species at risk work, and ecological research. She is excited to continue contributing to SILT’s efforts to acquire, steward, and protect important habitats across the region.

Judie Steeves – President

Judie Steeves has been writing about the outdoors for nearly five decades, particularly in the Okanagan Valley and B.C.’s interior. She is the author of Okanagan Trips and Trails, with Murphy Shewchuk of Merritt. She wrote an outdoors column called Trailmix for the Kelowna Capital News for 20 years or so and continues to write about outdoors issues for B.C. Outdoors magazine and other publications.

She grew up in the Penticton area rambling the hills and fishing with her Dad, before moving to the coast and later the Cariboo. She returned to the Central Okanagan in 1981 with her young family, and has been fishing, camping and hiking in the area much of her life. Her volunteer work has mostly involved outdoor-focused projects as well, with three land trusts, the Peachland Sportsman’s Association, the Central Okanagan Naturalists’ Club and the Okanagan Xeriscape Association.
She joined the board of SILT in 2009.

Al Peatt, RPBio, FAPB, – Executive Director

Al Peatt, RPBio, FAPB, has over 35 years’ experience in managing wildlife and habitat. In 1988, he was a founding director of the Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund Society, now known as the Southern Interior Land Trust.

Al was the senior provincial wildlife/habitat biologist in the Okanagan from 1984 to 2000. He has been a manager of audits and investigations for the BC Forest Practices Board and, from 2013 to 2017, led the Okanagan Nation’s wildlife program.

He is now executive director of the Southern Interior Land Trust and a consulting biologist. “Securing habitat for wildlife and people has been the most important and lasting aspect of my career—it’s very rewarding to see wildlife and people using and enjoying the natural places that SILT has worked so hard to acquire.”

Sara Ashpole – Voting Member

Sara Ashpole is a Restoration Ecologist at St. Lawrence University (NY) where she is Chair of the Environmental Studies Department. Sara informs international and national policy by providing scientific expertise as the Canadian co-chair for the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group (since 2015) and served as a member of the independent advisory panel for the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada Amphibian and Reptile Subcommittee (2013-2021). Sara has had positions on numerous boards of directors, and is currently a coordinating editor for the journal Restoration Ecology.

Sara has a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Guelph. Her research interests working for Environment Canada examining the impact of industrial persistent environmental contaminants and embryonic deformities in turtles was the basis of her Master’s of Science in Zoology & Toxicology, University of Guelph. Realizing the complexity of challenges to species survival in a highly modified landscape, Sara pursued a Ph.D. in Conservation Planning at the University of Waterloo, Ontario.

Since 1999, Sara’s research has been collaborative with non-governmental organizations, as well as governmental organizations from the regional to federal level. Her environmental research has also included working closely with Indigenous peoples and private landowners in the Great Lakes region and the Okanagan River Valley, British Columbia. Research Projects include long term amphibian population monitoring, wetland construction and rehabilitation, road ecology, alien vertebrate species eradication, agricultural eco-toxicology, landowner stewardship, community outreach, education, and citizen science.

Ron Taylor – President Emeritus

Ron Taylor is a founding member of the Southern Interior Land Trust (formerly the Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund).

He has enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking and enjoying the outdoors. Ron’s dedication and commitment to wildlife conservation in B.C. has spanned more than half a century. Ron helped to create SILT over 30 years ago, served as its president for many years, and has been on the board of directors since the society was formed in 1988.

Carlo Carbajal – Director

Carlo Carbajal is the Director of Innovation at Cascadia Credit Union in Summerland and brings a background in finance and accounting. His experience includes governance, financial oversight, and strategic planning. He also has a long history of community service, most notably with JCI Penticton, where he was awarded a Senatorship in recognition of his contributions.

Carlo was born and raised in the South Okanagan and has spent much of his life camping and fishing throughout the region. He and his wife are raising their two children in Penticton, maintaining a connection to the local outdoors and community.

Payton Maffioli – Director

Payton Maffioli is from Grand Forks, BC, and she graduated with Honours from Selkirk College in 2024 with a Technical Diploma in Recreation, Fish and Wildlife. Currently, she is studying Natural Resource Management at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops and aspires to become an environmental lawyer. 

She uses her voice to promote wildlife and ecosystem conservation through photography, as well as educating the public and visiting schools to share her knowledge about wildlife safety and ecosystem restoration. One of her favourite places to visit is Edward’s Pond in Grand Forks. 

Melodie Lind – Director

Melodie Lind is a lawyer with Pushor Mitchell LLP, practicing in the area of tax law, with a focus on estate and trust planning, family-owned business succession planning, planning for persons with disabilities and tax-driven corporate reorganizations.

She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology at Simon Fraser University before obtaining her Bachelor of Laws (with distinction) from the University of Alberta. She has the internationally recognized Trust and Estate Practitioner designation through the Society of Estate and Trust Practitioners and has also completed advanced tax training through both the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Canadian Bar Association. She has been published in a leading Canadian legal periodical, the Real Property Reports, and is co-author of a chapter in a book on the protection of First Nations cultural heritage.

Melodie was raised in West Kelowna and spent much of her youth hiking and riding horses in the forest above Glenrosa. Once she completed law school in Edmonton, she happily returned home to the Okanagan, where she has continued to enjoy the Okanagan outdoors with her family.

Bruce Hibbard – Director

Bruce is the Director of Sales at Hester Creek Estate Winery in Oliver. He has an extensive background in community service, including volunteer work at Peach City Radio’s, Raise the Radio fundraiser and membership in the Oliver Rotary. Bruce also served on the board of the Okanagan Wine Festival Society for eight years, where he was the president from 2014 to 2016.

He is a lifetime member of the Penticton Junior Chamber International and has worked for various non-profit golf clubs. Bruce resides in the Okanagan with his wife Margie, and their two children, Connor and Grace. In 2023, he joined the SILT board.