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 Okanagan Nation Alliance and prior to that he worked for the B.C. Ministry of Environment in the Southern Interior through the 1980s and 1990s.

He was recently awarded a Fellow in Association of Professional Biology, one of only a few in B.C., by the Association of Professional Biology. This designation is reserved for members that stand as role models and bring distinction to the profession with inspiration and mentorship to other members.

With this newly-created position, Peatt will work to rejuvenate and raise the profile of the SILT, which currently owns four conservation properties: Ginty’s Pond in Cawston, Cold Creek near Keremeos, and Edwards Pond and Wards Lake at Grand Forks.

SILT has also assisted in acquiring such properties as Rose Valley Regional Park, a Swan Lake wetland, productive spawning habitat on Christina Lake and vital bighorn sheep habitat on the east side of Skaha Lake.

Peatt was a key participant in several of SILT’s original acquisitions and is excited to bring his many years of experience in land securement and wildlife habitat management to the organization’s new role.

The Southern Interior Land Trust also helps to administer projects such as the Okanagan River Restoration Initiative, Ellis Creek re-naturalization and Mission Creek Restoration in collaboration with a number of other non-government organizations, governments and conservation groups.

SILT’s primary emphasis is to acquire local gems of productive wildlife and fish habitat that provide valuable linkages to other larger-scale habitats and conservation areas.

“With this step forward, SILT will renew its purpose to protect sensitive fish and wildlife habitat for all living things in the B.C. southern interior, including people” said SILT President Ross Everatt. “We are excited to continue and expand SILT’s long history of habitat securement. It’s all good!”

Learn more about the SILT from the website at: www.siltrust.ca

If you are interested in learning more about the organization; becoming involved in its work; donating or bequeathing land or money for conservation, call/text Al Peatt at: (250) 328-4699 or email apeatt@siltrust.ca

Media enquiries:

SILT President Ross Everatt (250)- 499-9840