The provincial government is inviting British Columbians to provide feedback on an intentions paper proposing how land might be protected in the South Okanagan.
The public has a 60-day period to provide comments on the intentions paper with final responses due by Oct. 12. BC Parks will review the feedback and publicly post a consultation report along with final recommendations in early 2016.
The proposed policies in this paper apply to three distinct areas in the region. The provincial government is proposing Area 1 and Area 3 be considered by Parks Canada for inclusion in a South Okanagan National Park Reserve and Area 2 be protected as a conservancy under provincial legislation, the Park Act.
The three areas are made up of the following:
Area 1 – Portions of the area west of Osoyoos towards the Similkameen River, and south of Highway 3 to the U.S. border including the Osoyoos Desert Centre, Spotted Lake and South Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area sites of East and West Chopaka and South Kilpoola.
Area 2 – Portions of the area west of Oliver towards Cawston, and north of Highway 3 to the southerly extent of the White Lake Grasslands Protected Area.
Area 3 – Portions of the White Lake basin area south of Okanagan Falls and including areas in the vicinity of Vaseux Lake and the White Lake Grasslands Protected Area.
Conceptual maps of these areas are included on the intentions paper webpage of BC Parks at
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2015ENV0052-001276
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Originally Posted by adriaticum
