Central Okanagan parks included in Canada’s national conservation network

Twenty-five Central Okanagan parks are now part of Canada’s national conservation network, due to a move by the Regional District of Central Okanagan aimed at strengthening its commitment to nature conservation.

The combined area of 2,114 hectares is now included in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database. Equivalent to 21.1 square kilometres, the total area is larger than the city of Victoria.

The federal government called the Regional District of Central Okanagan “a trailblazer for reporting its locally protected and conserved areas directly in the national database” in a press release issued on Friday.

“It is a prime example of how regional and municipal governments can make meaningful contributions to national and international conservation targets,” reads the statement.

“The future depends on everyone working together to act now.”

Steven Guilbeault, minister of environment and climate change said the release, “Local greenspaces such as regional and municipal parks provide Canadians with places to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily reality and reconnect with themselves, their loved ones, and with nature.”

2:06 Stanley Park’s ‘necessary’ dead tree removal plan sparks Vancouver petition

“These areas also play an important role in biodiversity conservation across the country, and I want to commend the Regional District of Central Okanagan for embracing and supporting Canada’s conservation goals. This commitment has helped move us closer to conserving 30 percent of land and water by 2030—and in this incredibly important work, every effort counts.”

The federal government press release went on to say that conserving and restoring nature is vital to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, protecting species at risk and fighting climate change. That is why the federal government launched the largest campaign in Canadian history to conserve nature, backed by over $5 billion in investments, to protect 30 percent of land and water by 2030. This is possible by collaborating with partners, including other levels of government, Indigenous groups and environmental non-government organizations.

The Central Okanagan parks included in Canada’s conservation network are:

1. Bertram Creek Regional Park
2. Black Mountain – sntsk’il’ntən Regional Park
3. Coldham Regional Park
4. Glen Canyon Regional Park
5. Goats Peak Regional Park
6. Hardy Falls Regional Park
7. Johns Family Nature Conservancy Regional Park
8. Kalamoir Regional Park
9. Kaloya Regional Park
10. KLO Creek Regional Park
11. Kopje Regional Park
12. Lebanon Creek Greenway Regional Park
13. McCulloch Station Regional Park
14. Mill Creek Regional Park
15. Mission Creek Greenway Regional Park
16. Mission Creek Regional Park
17. Raymer Bay Regional Park
18. Robert Lake Regional Park
19. Rose Valley Regional Park
20. Scenic Canyon Regional Park
21. Shannon Lake Regional Park
22. Stephens Coyote Ridge Regional Park
23. Traders Cove Regional Park
24. Trepanier Creek Greenway Regional Park
25. Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Regional Park