The Southern Okanagan Valley provides the hot dry summers and mild winters characteristic of the arid antelope-brush ecosystem. This region is home to a diverse array of uniquely adapted wildlife species such the Nuttall’s Cottontail, Great Basin Spadefoot Toad, Western Rattlesnake, Tiger Salamander and Wind Scorpion, to name a few. All are either blue or red listed, threatened or endangered species.
The antelope-brush ecosystem of the South Okanagan Valley is more at risk than the old-growth forests of British Columbia. Over the past century, more than 60 percent of the antelope-brush habitat has been totally destroyed, and only 9 percent of what remains is relatively undisturbed.
This habitat in the South Okanagan is vital for the conservation of biological diversity in British Columbia. Several of the unique plants and animals living here are found nowhere else in Canada: some species of invertebrates are found nowhere else in the world! 30 percent of the Red-listed (endangered) and over 50 percent of the Blue-listed (vulnerable) vertebrates as well as over 100 rare plants and more than 300 rare invertebrates are confined to this ecosystem. Very little of the habitat has been preserved for their survival and the protected areas so far established are too few, too scattered and too small for effective biodiversity conservation.
With more of the antelope-brush being destroyed each year, biologists have warned that this ecosystem and its component species are in great danger of extirpation (becoming locally extinct).
The Osoyoos Desert Society is conducting detailed comparative scientific experiments. These are:
- to restore the community structure, function and species composition of the antelope-brush ecosystem; and
- to develop effective and economical restoration techniques for degraded natural areas of the ecosystem. The adjacent Field Lease Ecological Reserve will be used as a base-line reference.
Botanical, soil and vegetation studies will be accompanied and integrated with studies on the invertebrate animal diversity to see how this responds to such habitat restoration.
If you'd like to help us help the Desert habitat, click here to become a member of the Osoyoos Desert Society
