Who We Are
The Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program (OCCP) is a collaboration of governments and conservation oriented organizations working together, sharing information and carrying out research to fill knowledge gaps, and set priorities on conservation issues in the Okanagan basin of British Columbia, Canada.
More specifically, the OCCP consists of 40 organizations that work to conserve and restore natural areas in the Central and North Okanagan. The partners include all levels of government, environmental organizations, stewardship groups, land trusts, naturalist clubs and academia. The Program is guided by The Biodiversity Strategy for the Okanagan Region, which was developed through the collaborative effort of 80 organizations.
OCCP Initiatives Focus On:
- Integrating conservation into land use decision making processes
- Expanding the existing networks of parks and protected areas
- Conducting and implementing environmental research
- Increasing public awareness for environmental conservation through education
- Establishing new methods to finance conservation
What We Do
We facilitate projects that focus on maintaining regional biodiversity, protecting Species at Risk, maintaining ecological connectivity throughout the Okanagan Basin, and balancing regional growth with conservation.
Our purpose is action, communication, and education, not lobbying or advocating.
Our Partners
OCCP partners have each signed a Statement of Cooperation, outlining their shared concern for local biodiversity and commitment to work together toward conservation objectives.
Partners in the OCCP include local, regional, provincial and federal levels of government (Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), BC Ministry of Environment (BC MOE), regional districts, and municipalities), land trusts, stewardship and outreach organizations.