Extensive Area of Grasslands South of Kamloops Now Protected

Image

Over 6,100 hectares of grasslands are being protected forever. The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Bunchgrass Hills Conservation Area project constitutes one of the largest private grassland conservation achievements in the province. Its rolling hills are covered in native grasses, including bluebunch wheatgrass, and are dotted with Douglas-fir woodlands and scattered wetlands.

“Grasslands are an integral part of the province’s Interior ecosystems, and the Bunchgrass Hills Conservation Area is significant for its ecological attributes. This is a great example of conservation financing that brings together the resources of government and individuals to achieve important conservation goals and protect valuable ecosystems, which is critical in this time of climate change and biodiversity loss.”

Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Home to many Species at Risk, including the Great Basin spadefoot toad and Lewis’s woodpecker, Bunchgrass Hills now serves as a shelter for these species to grow and flourish. Protecting large intact grasslands bolsters local climate resilience and contributes to provincial and national targets to protect 30 per cent of BC’s and Canada’s land by 2030.

Read More