Park Facts
Areas within red line indicate the proposed park boundaries
What prompted a national park to be established in the South Okanagan-Similkameen?
Click to download and read the letter from community members to Parks Canada describing why this area of the South Okanagan-Similkameen should be considered for a national park.
The Province of Canada and Government of Canada have agreed to the park feasibility study.
Click to see the BC-Canada Memorandum of Understanding, the legal agreement between the Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada to undertake a joint national park feasibility study in the South Okanagan-Similkameen. A Federal-Provincial Steering Committee oversees the national park feasibility study that is managed and funded by Parks Canada.
Local citizens strongly support a national park in the South Okanagan-Similkameen.
Click to see the results of the recent public opinion poll.
Environmental Groups express support for national park.
26 local, provincial and national evironmental groups, whose combined membership is over 500,000 citizens, write to Premier Clark expressing support for the national park. Click the following links to read the letters.
Letter to Premier Christy Clark.
Letter to Ministers Terry Lake and Steve Thomson.
Photo by Graham Osborne.
Why a national park?
Click to read why a national park is needed in the South Okanagan-Similkameen.
What good is a national park?
Click to read the best reasons for a national park.
Biodiversity: Ecosystem diversity
South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park Reserve would represent the Interior Dry Plateau Natural Region in Canada’s national park system. If the South Okanagan is not protected from rampant urban growth and development occurring in the region and climate change forces plants and animals to move north, they will have no place to go. Read more on the environment and biodiversity of the proposed park...
Will the park be a fire hazard?
In national parks across Canada, there is an aggressive wildfire fighting strategy to protect communities outside the park, and the people inside and outside the park. Parks Canada would work with the Province of British Columbia and municipal agencies to create a wildfire management strategy. Read Park Canada's explaination of how they would prevent and fight wild fires...
International importance of the proposed park
The South Okanagan-Similkameen is of international ecological importance. Read more about the importance of this cross-border ecosystem...
What have we lost?
In just fifty years, most of the natural diversity of the South Okanagan-Similkameen grasslands has been lost. Read more about the loss of natural grasslands...
Canada's national parks are economic drivers
A national park in the South Okanagan-Similkameen will benefit not only conservation and species at risk, but will also enhance and stabilize local economies. Read more on the economics of the proposed park...
Land use and LRMP in the proposed park
Read more on land use in the proposed park, including grazing and ATV use...
Other pages of interest on the South Okanagan-Similkameen area:
- B.C. Ministry of the Environment - Species and Ecosystems at Risk
- Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
- Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (Penticton)
- Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia
- Meadow Lark Festival
- Similkameen Country
- South Okanagan-Similkameen Conservation Program
- Western Canada Wilderness Committee
Will we have the wisdom to act now before it is too late?
Contact politicians today to tell them to help make the national park a reality!