OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN STEWARDSHIP NEWS

20th Anniversary Issue Reflecting on the past year- our first year as an independent society and twentieth year of stewardship in the Okanagan and

Similkameen- I can’t help but feel pride with how far we have come. Since May, over 15 landowners have committed to stewardship

on their properties, hundreds of native plants have been planted, 800 kilograms of garbage have been removed from natural areas,

countless bags and truck loads of invasive plants have been removed from stewarded properties and all because of YOU!

Do you have a stewardship story or photo you would like to share? Let us know! Provide a photo and story about your experiences to

us by email at okanaganstewardship@gmail.com and we will post it on our blog!

Landowners make a difference: Forbidden Fruit Winery

In the past year alone, over 15 land stewards have committed to conserving

wildlife habitat on their properties! Our programs are currently expanding in

order to support stewards throughout the entire Okanagan and Similkameen

valleys.

Steve Venables and Kim Brind’Amour of Forbidden Fruit Winery recently

became Wildlife Habitat Stewards. Recognising the natural beauty of their

property, Steve and Kim set aside a vast area of old growth cottonwood forest

along the river, as well as some rocky outcroppings, and dry sagebrush

grassland habitat on the slopes above their orchards.

Their dedication to conservation and stewardship doesn’t stop there! On

signing their stewardship agreement, Steve and Kim also committed to

collecting donations for wine tasting on behalf of Okanagan Similkameen

Stewardship. This generous donation will enable OSS to support more land

stewards and communities in conserving and enhancing wildlife habitat

throughout the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys.

“Things feel perfectly balanced on the property. We’ve noticed

fewer pressures, and less predators and fruit disease. There is

mutual benefit, we protect wildlife habitat and they are

protecting us. We like to let it go and not interfere too much.”

~Steve Venables of Forbidden Fruit Winery

Photo courtesy of Forbidden Fruit Wines

Photo courtesy of Forbidden Fruit Wines

Cormack Marsh cared for by the community of Princeton

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship supports improvement of habitat on stewarded properties and in communities by

planting native plants, removing invasive plants, installing bat and bird boxes, and removing garbage in partnership with

private land stewards and concerned communities.

In a true community effort, Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship worked with a variety of partners- including community

leader, Kelley Cook, Town of Princeton, Vermillion Forks Field Naturalists, teachers and students of John Allison &

Vermillion Forks schools, Princeton Arts Council, Princeton Sierra’s Fire Crew, Princeton Rotary and Princeton Brownies,

Girl Guides and Sparks- in an effort to draw attention to Cormack Marsh in Princeton, BC.

Together, the group removed 3 truck loads of garbage, 2 heaping truck loads of knapweed from the site. Students, Girl

Guides, Brownies and Sparks planted of over 100 native plants and over-seeded with a native seed mix. Students also

went birding with local naturalists and installed bird boxes around this little oasis in Princeton.

Want to get involved? Join us as we partner with TD Tree Days, South Okanagan Similkameen

Conservation Program and Young Naturalists’ Club of BC as we continue

Greening Ellis Creek Sunday, September 28 at 10:00am. Contact Alyson Skinner to learn how to register for this event (alysonskinner@gmail.com; 250-809-1980)

Photo: Kelley Cook Photo: Hilary Sampson

OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN STEWARDSHIP NEWS 20th Anniversary Issue

Photo: Alyson Skinner

Volunteers help Wildlife Habitat Steward remove 750 kg of debris from pond!

In a collaborative project between St. Lawrence University and

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship, and orchardist/landowner

Jaswinder Kailay, a new phase of restoration actions began on his

pond. Since 2004, we have been restoring this pond site with

past landowners removing non-native invasive predatory species.

Mr. Kailay has only owned the land for about a year and has

already signed a voluntary commitment as a Wildlife Habitat

Steward with OSS. Our main goal is to restore the ponds water

quality, enhance with native vegetation, and to provide habitat

for native species. It is the long-term commitment and voluntary

actions of landowners like Mr. Kailay that make the difference.

In June, over 750 kilograms of debris was removed from the shore of the pond by eight volunteers. Among the garbage

removed was a truck frame that is estimated to have been at the site for well over 50 years!

Wetlands provide a critical ecological service, providing many essential functions to protect our environment and the

health of local communities including clean water. In the south Okanagan more than 85% of wetlands have been filled in

or destroyed, and many remaining wetlands are in need of restoration. The greatest threats to wetlands include infilling,

introduction of non-native species (such as fish), agricultural over spray (pesticides, herbicides & nutrients), and garbage

debris.

The battle against invasive plants

Stewardship Technicians, Kieran McIntosh and Lia McKinnon, tackled the war against

invasive plants on many stewarded properties in the valley. Landowners participating in the

Wildlife Habitat Stewards project are offered assistance with invasive species on their

properties whenever Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship has the capacity to do so.

Most of our work on removing invasive species has centred on sticky and prickly species,

like burdock, hound’s tongue and Canada thistle. Removing countless garbage bags of these

pervasive weeds increases the opportunities for native plants and the native animals that

depend on them.

Learn how to become a Wildlife Habitat Steward and receive support and assistance with habitat management

issues on our website at www.OkanaganSimilkameenStewardship.ca.

Photo: Kieran McIntosh

OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN STEWARDSHIP NEWS 20th Anniversary Issue

Sara Ashpole, Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship

Board of Directors Chair, shows Penticton youth a

Painted Turtle at the Downtown Penticton Market.

Community conservation With support from Canada Summer Jobs, summer student Kieran

McIntosh, and St. Lawrence University, Okanagan Similkameen

Stewardship was very active in communities throughout the valleys over

the summer- getting the word out to landowners, the public and

community groups. Between workshops, Farmer’s Markets and

Community Meetings, Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship

representatives have spoken with thousands of local residents.

Having a presence at local community markets was one of the key

approaches we took over the summer and much effort was put into

attending the Penticton, Kelowna, Naramata, Oliver, and Osoyoos

Community Markets. With different themes and props (including some

live animals) to keep a fresh topic each week, these booths were both

informative and engaging. It was a pleasure to connect face-to-face with

so many community members.

Bullfrog update

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship provided outreach and inventory of Penticton and

Summerland ponds and oxbows, looking for the invasive American Bullfrog this past

summer. American Bullfrogs are much larger than our native amphibians, many species

which are at risk. With two reports of these voracious predatory amphibians in Penticton

and Summerland, efforts were made to provide local area residents with a training

workshop and to get eyes, ears and boots to the ground- looking and listening for

American Bullfrogs.

OSS biologists did not see or hear any bullfrogs in the area during the inventory efforts-

this does not mean for certain that bullfrogs are not present though, so please keep your

eyes and ears open! To find out more about invasive American Bullfrogs, visit our website

at www.OkanaganSimilkameenStewardship.ca.

Newsletter compiled by Alyson Skinner.

Acknowledgements: Margaret Holm, Kieran McIntosh,

Lia McKinnon

Banner Photo: David Cunnington

For more information, please contact:

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship

www.OkanaganSimilkameenStewardship.ca

Phone: 250-809-1980

Email: okanaganstewardship@gmail.com

Find us on Facebook!

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Board of Directors:

Sara Ashpole

Anthea Bryan

Carolina Restrepo-Tamayo

Hilary Sampson

Mellhina Thibault

Photo: Alyson Skinner

OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN STEWARDSHIP NEWS 20th Anniversary Issue