We are often asked, “What do you do in the winter, when the Desert Centre is closed?”  Actually, we are often even busier during the winter than at any other time during the year! 

The Desert Society is the voice for conservation of this unique local habitat, and so we prepare and make presentations to groups such as Town Council, BC Agrologists,  Golf Course superintendents and local citizen’s groups such as the Rotary Club.  We write educational material for the public and visitors to the Desert Centre, and we answer the many phone calls from people who are curious about things like snakes, insects they have discovered and xeriscape gardening.  The Society also undertakes Restoration projects, (read about the current project at the Osoyoos Golf & Country Club in the “Restoration” section).  The data that we acquire from our research projects is collated and analyzed during the winter.  We also host a Winter Lecture Series, bringing in many speakers to present on topics that instigate thought and interest about the world we live in.  We write newsletters for our members and plan fundraising events such as our annual Romancing the Desert.  As a non-profit Society, we also need to write a lot of proposals and grant applications, so that we can continue these public education programs and restoration research.

In 1991 the Osoyoos Desert Society was founded by a number of concerned individuals dedicated to preserving Osoyoos’ unique desert environment for future generations. This group spent over seven years finding a portion of the remaining desert on which to build an interpretive centre.  It took hard work, determination and a strong dose of tenacity to accomplish this goal.

In June 1998, a 27 hectare (66.7 acre) piece of Crown Land was finally secured.  Boardwalk construction began and a temporary building donated by BC Forests was in place.  The Desert Centre officially opened on July 2nd, 1999 with newly trained guides and a large group of excellent volunteers eager to receive the first visitors. 

Since 1999, the Osoyoos Desert Society has been developing educational programming and restoration work both at the Centre and off site.   Now that the Centre is up and running, the Society is able to put more attention towards the actual conservation of Canada’s only desert.