Support OSS habitat stewardship & restoration

Subscribe to get notified about new events!

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship

LXCL:Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship brings landowners, volunteers, farmers, and community partners together to care for wildlife habitats- including the grasslands, riparian areas, wetlands, forests and rugged terrain of the Okanagan and Similkameen- so that they thrive.

Become a member of the Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society and stand with local people caring for wetlands, grasslands, forests, and the wildlife that depend on them 🌿 Your membership helps fund hands-on habitat restoration, landowner stewardship support, and community workshops that encourage sustainable practices across our region. Together, we can protect the ecological integrity and biodiversity of the Okanagan and Similkameen for future generations.

Become a member of the Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society and stand with local people caring for wetlands, grasslands, forests, and the wildlife that depend on them 🌿Your membership helps fund hands-on habitat restoration, landowner stewardship support, and community workshops that encourage sustainable practices across our region. Together, we can protect the ecological integrity and biodiversity of the Okanagan and Similkameen for future generations.

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society's Memberships

Give thanks and give back to nature this Thanksgiving weekend! 🍂🌱 Join Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship at Creekside Park in Coldstream for a community planting day. Together, we&rsquo;ll plant native cottonwoods and riparian shrubs to enhance riparian habitat and help create future nesting and roosting habitat for Western Screech-Owls and other wildlife. No experience is needed- we&rsquo;ll provide the plants, tools, and guidance. Come ready to dig, get a little dirty, and spend a fall afternoon giving back to local habitat. **Please register so we know how many volunteers to expect and can have enough tools and supplies on hand.** 🌱 **All ages welcome** &nbsp; 🧤 **Bring:** Weather-appropriate clothing, sturdy footwear, work gloves if you have them, and a water bottle.

Thanks-Planting at Creekside Park

Join us at Carney Pond for a Planting Party! 🌱 Come get your hands dirty and help restore habitat at Carney Pond in Kelowna!&nbsp;<a fr-original-style="" href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/XX7MdE4HLmzGXaUEA" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">*Click here for map</a> We are teaming up with Kelowna Tree Protectors, Ponderosa Education, and the City of Kelowna to plant native trees, shrubs, and grasses around Carney Pond. Together, we&rsquo;ll be creating healthier wetland habitat for birds, pollinators, and other local wildlife while improving biodiversity and building a more resilient natural area. No experience is needed! OSS staff and project partners will provide the plants, tools, and instructions &mdash; you provide the helping hands. 🌿 What to bring: Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather and getting a little dirty. Bring work gloves if you have them, as well as water and sun/rain protection. 🌱 Everyone is welcome: This is a hands-on community event and a great opportunity to learn a little about native plants and habitat restoration while making a visible difference at Carney Pond. That said, this area has lots of wildlife, including shorebirds and painted turtles, so please leave pets at home. Please register in advance so we know how many volunteers to expect and can have enough tools and supplies ready for everyone. Come plant a few plants, meet some great people, and help us give Carney Pond a little TLC **Free Parking is available <a fr-original-style="" href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/XX7MdE4HLmzGXaUEA" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a> on Bulman Rd. Follow the event signs/flags up the Bulman Road Multi-Use Pathway and through the gate to the planting site. If no parking available on Bulman Rd, you can park in Lot B (this is pay parking) and take the multi-use path down the hill to the gate.

Planting Party @ Carney Pond

Growing More Than Crops: Building Biodiversity on the Farm&nbsp; What if a strip of native trees and shrubs could do more than just fill space along the edge of a field? Join Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship, Elephant Island Winery, and JoieFarm Winery for an evening exploring how shelterbelts, hedgerows, and natural corridors can bring more biodiversity&mdash;and more beneficial insects&mdash;to agricultural landscapes. We&rsquo;ll take a closer look at native plant shelterbelts and pollinator patches at Elephant Island Winery and JoieFarm, and learn how thoughtfully incorporating native trees and shrubs into farms, vineyards, orchards, acreages, and other working landscapes can provide habitat for native pollinators, beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife while creating valuable connections between natural areas. We&rsquo;ll talk about:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Choosing native plants that provide food, shelter, and habitat</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Supporting native pollinators and beneficial insects</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Encouraging insects that can contribute to natural pest management</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Designing shelterbelts and habitat corridors that work within agricultural landscapes</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Using edges and underutilized areas to support pollinators and other beneficial insects</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Simple ways to add more biodiversity to your own farm or property</li></ul>This workshop is intended for farmers, vineyard and orchard operators, agricultural landowners, gardeners, and anyone interested in creating more wildlife-friendly working landscapes. You don&rsquo;t need to be an expert, or have a large property, to take something useful away.

Shelterbelts in Action

Do you see bats around your barns, buildings, or homes? &nbsp;Are you aware of a bat colony on one of your buildings? Do you have a pond, wetland, or lakefront, or creek/river on your property? &nbsp;Are you on the ALR and see bats flying around in the evening in summer? Inviting farmers, horticulturalists, and ranchers, in the Oliver area. Join the BC Community Bat Program and Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society to learn about bat friendly agriculture. &nbsp;Bats provide natural and free pest control. &nbsp;They eat a lot of insects that damage field crops, orchards, vineyards, and harass and sicken livestock. &nbsp;This natural pest control saves you money. &nbsp;A single bat can eat its own weight in insects every night. &nbsp; A study in the U.S. estimated the value of bats to agriculture is $23 billion/year. Join us to learn about bats, how to attract them, how to eliminate hazards for bats, how to coexist safely around them, and how to follow Best Management Practices for bats to ensure bat-friendly farms can benefit from the services of bats. Organized by: Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society, BC Community Bat Program administered by BC Conservation Foundation. Thank you to our funders for making this workshop free to attend: Sitka Foundation, Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and South Okanagan Conservation Fund.

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship

Events

Events

Thanks-Planting at Creekside Park

Get your tickets

Planting Party @ Carney Pond

Get your tickets

Shelterbelts in Action

Get your tickets

Bat-friendly Agriculture

Get your tickets

More ways to support us

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society's Memberships

View membership

Powered by