Biodiversity Conservation Strategy

2013

$93,450

$20,000

The OCCP is a partnership of 36 organizations with the shared goals of maintaining regional biodiversity and balancing regional growth with conservation throughout the Okanagan Basin. Working at the basin wide level to complete a strategy that benefits the entire basin, the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy promotes a 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. It will provide a "road map" for coordinated efforts to manage land and water of ecological value in the region. The BCS will also identify natural area values and it will make available a template at a landscape level for land and water use decision-making. This project has support from all three regional districts along with all levels of government and multiple nongovernmental organizations in the Okanagan Basin. The BCS will provide for a reduction in conflicts over land and water use, protection of natural assets such as clean air and water, healthy soils, wildlife diversity, green spaces and scenic beauty, protection of vital connectivity corridors for many large and small mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians, promotion of community and business participation in stewardship and sustainability and shared resources and partnership development amongst diverse sectors and amongst various jurisdictions. For more information visit: OCCP