The Southern Interior Land Trust (SILT) has, for over 30 years, worked in the southern interior of British Columbia to protect and preserve habitat for all living things. Natural lake shorelines, with their ribbon of native plants benefit wildlife and animal movement; protect properties from flood and erosion; and support ecological processes essential to clean, drinkable, swimmable, fishable water. Purchasing lakeshore for conservation is prohibitively expensive, so SILT is exploring…
Read MoreThe Southern Interior Land Trust Society has worked closely with The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to administer contracts for ecosystem restoration work throughout the Okanagan Shuswap districts. The ecosystem restoration (ER) projects have been targeted at areas within fire maintained ecosystems that have experienced ecological impacts from fire exclusion or beetle infestation. The general objectives of ER are to restore designated areas to an ecologically appropriate…
Read MoreJohn Holdstock was treasurer for the Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund Society (now SILT) from its founding until his sudden death Dec. 25, 2010. He was a leader in guiding the formation and development of the ORWHFS, and was a past-president of the B.C. Wildlife Federation, as well as serving in a variety of positions in related organizations for more than 50 years. In his memory, a number of organizations…
Read MoreOkanagan River is recognized internationally for its value as a spawning area for salmon and trout. It is also crucial for wildlife since it is the only river in the south Okanagan - one of Canada's most biologically diverse,species rich and endangered ecosystems. In the 1950s the river was straightened and confined between dykes to control flooding and allow for agricultural and urban development. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the riparian…
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