Improving Okanagan Habitat Connectivity “How do we go from here to there”

2014

$89,450

$10,000

This is an educational outreach initiative that provided the tools to understand and take action on the results and recommendations from the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy project and also to help the general public to understand why connected ecosystems and wildlife habitat corridors are an essential part of maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services such as water in the Okanagan region. The strategy promotes a “big-picture” landscape view of the region and provides a framework for considering conservation options for entire ecosystems and watersheds that go beyond municipal or rural boundaries and includes all land-tenures. This two-year project is part of the implementation of the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. Year 1 will take place in the Central Okanagan and year 2 in the North and South Okanagan Regional Districts.

This education outreach initiative provided information for elected officials and the public to understand and take action on the results and recommendations in “A biodiversity Conservation Strategy for the Okanagan Region” (2014). Presentations were given to elected officials, the public and special interest groups including the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board. This project created a framework and resources for education partners throughout the valley to work together on consistent messaging and to share resources on why connected ecosystems and wildlife habitat corridors are an essential part of maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Okanagan.