By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Nature Trust BC is appealing to the conservation-minded to help protect a unique area in the South Okanagan known as the Marron River Grasslands by raising $1.22 million.
The 31 hectare landscape must be secured by March 31, 2026 and has already been given a boost out of the starting gate thanks to what the Nature Trust says was a “generous gift” from the landowner.
“The landowner is a lifelong naturalist who has stewarded this precious land for decades and has been doing long-term hummingbird monitoring on the parcel. With your help, we can ensure this conservation legacy remains intact, forever,” the conservation group said in its appeal.
The Nature Trust notes this land is rare, with almost half (14 hectares) of native open grasslands on this site representing an endangered ecosystem (native grasslands cover less than one per cent of British Columbia’s land base, yet they support more species at risk than any other ecosystem in the province).
Marron River Grasslands protects not only these fragile grasslands, but also sagebrush steppe, old coniferous forest, and vital riparian habitat along the Marron River itself, the Trust said. The Marron River supports birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and native plants year-round in this dry landscape.
The grasslands support several species at risk, including: American badger, western rattlesnake, Great Basin gophersnake, Lewis’s woodpecker, pallid bat, western screech-owl, common nighthawk, and western tiger salamander.
Nature Trust BC map
The grasslands are also part of the winter range for mule deer, providing essential winter habitat for declining mule deer populations in southern BC.
“By protecting this land, you help preserve a remarkable diversity of wildlife, plants, and ecosystems,” it urges.
The Trust highlighted the ongoing tough fundraising climate, adding, “many people are feeling stretched. That’s exactly why every gift matters. However much you are able to give, your support brings us closer to protecting this irreplaceable land.
“Every conservation area we’ve ever protected has been made possible by people who care deeply about the land — our community,” it said.
To donate, visit the Nature Trust BC website.
