Okanagan-Shuswap Land and Resource Management Plan (OS-LRMP)

The plan covers an area centred on the Okanagan Valley from the United States border in the south to the Shuswap Lake in the north, encompassing some 2.5 million hectares (6.2 million acres) and was established to provide direction for the management of Crown land and resources on this land base. This area is one of the most biodiverse in Canada, containing some of the most sensitive ecosystems and has numerous species at risk (special concern, threatened and endangered).

Many Okanagan Similkameen Parks Society members have participated in the OS-LRMP since its inception in July 1995. Juergen Hansen heavily influenced the way the table’s business was conducted using an adaptation of his consensus based process. Clive Johnson was the table representative for the Environmental Sector, South Okanagan. Harold King participated on behalf of the Federation of BC Naturalists and Don Guild was the alternate for Lloyd Manchester, Central Okanagan Environmental Sector. Other members, such as Joe and Jessica Klein, attended many meetings and gave valuable input to the process. The plan was finalized in September 2000 and approved by the government on January 18, 2001. Since then, the OSPS has maintained a presence on the Implementation and Monitoring Committee right up until its dissolution in early 2010.

The most significant outcome for OSPS was the creation of 49 new protected areas totalling 123,000 hectares, which increased the protected land base from 5% to 7.9%. In our area of highest interest, new protected areas were created at Adra Tunnel, Anarchist, Brent Mountain, Crater addition to Cathedral Park, Isintok Lake, Myra-Bellevue, Pennask Creek, Naramata Creek, Oliver Mountain, Richter Grasslands, Shuttleworth Creek Larch, Similkameen Cottonwoods, Similkameen River, Snowy, South Okanagan Grassland (Chopaka East/West, Kilpoola, Mt. Kobau), Trepanier, Vaseux and White Lake.