R.E. Taylor Conservation Property
The Southern Interior Land Trust (SILT) purchased this 4.9 hectares (12 acres) of seasonally-flooded mature water birch forest in May of 2018. Situated on the banks of Keremeos Creek near Olalla, between Penticton and Keremeos, the property is a gem of intact streamside Water Birch forest, one of very few remaining in the Okanagan-Similkameen.
It provides habitat for at least five federally-listed species at risk, including the Yellow-breasted Chat, Western Screech Owl and Lewis’s Woodpecker. It is also good habitat for deer, bear, bobcat and badger that travel across the valley, and for rainbow trout in the creek.
The property will be known as the R.E. Taylor Conservation Property, in honour of Ron Taylor of Winfield, BC, whose dedication and commitment to wildlife conservation in BC 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.
SILT is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit charity dedicated to conserving land for all living things. SILT works to acquire those gems and jewels of wildlife habitat that act as “stepping-stones” for animal movement through developed areas.
SILT believes that maintaining public access to its conservation lands rewards and further engages the people that support and benefit from habitat conservation. SILT thanks everyone who donates to support SILT’s work. SILT also recognizes the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) and the hunters, trappers, guides and anglers that contribute to the HCTF through their licence fees, for making a significant financial contribution to the R.E. Taylor Conservation Property purchase.
SILT is a registered non-profit society and tax receipts can be issued for donations of cash or property or bequests from estates, so consider making a tax-deductible donation of money or land or including the society in your will, in order to further our common objectives of conserving habitat for the Okanagan’s wildlife. Learn more about how you can make a difference. SILT has no paid staff, so all donations go directly to fulfilling the society’s mandate of purchasing and restoring habitat for fish and wildlife. Instead it is operated by a volunteer board of directors.
