What We Have Lost

It's hard to see what we've already lost in the South Okanagan. The landscape has changed so much over the last 50 years, that only those who have been in the area for decades have an inkling of what once was.

Commercial apple orchards were first tried in 1892, but a series of setbacks prevented the major success of commercial fruit crops until the 1920s. Many other field crops began in the late 1800s.

Livestock first came into the province in the 1840s and Okanagan ranching began in the 1860s. The Okanagan was a major route for livestock drives at the time.

The first vineyards were planted in the Okanagan in late 1800s. In 2006, the province had about 2,600 hectares of wine grapes. There was a 20% area increase in vineyards between 2004 and 2006. It is predicted that acreage will peak at over 4,000 ha.

• Douglas-fir – pinegrass: 27% of this ecosystem has been lost.
• Ponderosa pine – bluebunch - wheatgrass: 53% of this ecosystem has been lost.
• Water Birch - Red-Osier - Dogwood: 92% of this ecosystem has been lost.
• Black Cottonwood – red-osier dogwood Area: 63% of this ecosystem has been lost.
• Cattail Marsh: 41% of this ecosystem has been lost.
• Idaho fescue – bluebunch wheatgrass: 77% of this ecosystem has been lost. (Much of remaining is in poor condition – invasive aliens – early seral due to livestock grazing)
• Big Sagebrush Shrub-Steppe Area: 33% of this ecosystem has been lost (Much of remaining is in poor condition – invasive aliens – early seral due to livestock grazing)
• Antelope-brush – needle-and-thread shrub-steppe: 68% of this ecosystem has been lost. (Much of remaining is in poor condition – invasive aliens – early seral due to livestock grazing)

The pieces we need to save to maintain species are the ecosystems that support them, many that are ecosystems at risk. It is time to focus more effort on the ecosystems or we won’t be able to maintain many of the species presently at risk and many more species will be added to the at risk lists. There is an urgent pressing need for Ecosystems at Risk legislation.

Back to Park Facts...

Contact politicians today to tell them to help make the national park a reality!