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Through its Conservation Fund, the Regional District of North Okanagan awarded $98,000 to six projects to help conserve natural areas and restore and protect water, land, and wildlife.

The Conservation Fund is a local government service bylaw that is funded through a dedicated tax collected in the RDNO electoral areas B, C, D, E, F, the City of Armstrong, and the Village of Lumby. Projects must take place in one or more of these areas to be eligible for funding.  OCCP assists the RDNO staff by promoting the fund, supporting local organizations to develop grant submissions, coordinating the technical advisory committee who review grant submissions, and making recommendations of support to the RDNO board of directors.  If you are interested in applying for the next round of funding in the fall of 2023, please review the fund’s Terms of Reference [266 KB PDF link opens new tab] or contact OCCP at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

The North Okanagan Conservation Fund provided financial support to the following projects in 2023.

1. Bat Maternity Roosting Site and Land Covenant, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada Habitat Protection for Species at Risk

   The Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada will work with a local landowner and biologist to protect the maternity roosting habitat for an existing maternity colony of bats by establishing a conservation covenant and by making modifications to an existing barn. This project will create opportunities for research and monitoring to help inform future conservation and recovery actions and provide bat-oriented outreach and education.

2. Landowner Stewardship, Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society Landowner Stewardship and Habitat Restoration

   The Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society will work with landowners to establish environmental management agreements to improve stewardship for 300 acres of wildlife habitat, complete three habitat restoration projects, and conduct wildlife habitat enhancement workshops in the Conservation Fund area.

3. Habitat Restoration at Swan Lake Nature Reserve, North Okanagan Naturalist Club Wetland Habitat Enhancement

   The North Okanagan Naturalists Club will continue its efforts to implement the restoration plan it developed in 2021 for the Swan Lake Nature Reserve. This work will include planting native trees, shrubs, and grasses to enhance the habitat for wildlife.

4. Bat Ambassador Program, Allan Brooks Nature Centre Environmental Education for Species at Risk

   The Allan Brooks Nature Centre, in partnership with professional biologists, will design a community bat outreach program that will train 20 bat ambassadors. The program will promote best practices to landowners for protecting bat habitat, conduct bat education at schools, and identify bat restoration sites.

5. Duteau Creek - Wetland Restoration, Splatsin First Nation Wetland Restoration for Biodiversity and Flood Mitigation

   The wetland restoration project being undertaken by Splatsin First Nation will restore the function of a wetland located at 1910 Faulkner Avenue on land owned by the Village of Lumby. By creating pockets of open water, cattail marshes, and riparian forest and shrubland, this restoration will provide critical habitat for birds, amphibians, and wildlife and will help mitigate flooding by slowing water velocities, increasing water absorption, and reducing soil erosion.

6. Wetland Enhancement and Interpretation, Armstrong Wetland Association Wetland Enhancement and Environmental Education

   The Armstrong Wetland Association will undertake a wetland enhancement restoration project at 3185 Okanagan Street in the downtown core of Armstrong, a property owned by the City of Armstrong. The association will engage a Qualified Environmental Professional to assess the wetland and secure approval to move forward with the subsequent phases, including an open pond, a bird viewing platform with educational signage, and a boardwalk.