Mixed reaction as province, feds renew commitment to South Okanagan national park

OSOYOOS (NEWS 1130) – A controversial national park in the South Okanagan-Similkameen is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The federal and provincial governments and First Nations groups are renewing their commitment to turning the large portion of land south of Okanagan Falls to the US border into a protected natural reserve.

“A new national park reserve in the South Okanagan would protect one of Canada’s iconic natural and cultural landscapes and provide opportunities to share this inspiring place with Canadians and visitors from around the world,” says Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

She adds Canada has made a commitment to the United Nations to conserving 17 per cent of the country’s land and freshwater by 2020, and believes this ties directly into that promise.

“This is really important… and for the first time you’re seeing a political will to work together and to find solutions,” she says. “We’re going to act together, we’re going to act in a respectful way, and we’re going to bring together members of the community and all members, all people that live in this area to do something incredible — which is to protect this beautiful space.”

The South Okanagan holds ecological significance, and McKenna says it plays an important role culturally and geographically. She believes it also offers an important opportunity for recreation and tourism.

Joe Foy, national campaign director with the Wilderness Committee is celebrating the announcement. “I think it’s taken a long time to get this cake baked, but at the end of the day I think we can see the finish line here and I think we’re going to have a tremendous national park that we can all be proud of.”

He explains apart from the economic benefit of turning the area into a protected area, a national park designation will also protect what he calls a “fragile” landscape. “So that our children and our grandchildren and on into the future can enjoy it,” he adds. “This region, we’ve seen it go through several phases.”

Plans to create the national park have been in the works for more than 15 years.

However, not everyone is completely thrilled with the idea. Some worry about how turning this land into a national park will affect those who rely on it.

“There are aspects of it that certainly will affect our producers down there,” explains Kevin Boon with the BC Cattlemen’s Association. “One of the things that is of concern to us is — and we understand the need for national parks or the desire for them and we’re not against them — it’s just a matter of that’s some very prime grazing land that we utilize in our ranches as well.”

He’s hopeful the association will be consulted as plans moves forward in order to benefit everyone. “We would really look that if this does move forward that there’s an ability for us still to be able to utilize those grass lands.”

Boon says there are some other challenges that come with protecting the space.

“What happens if you’re in the wildfire situation? And when we have a park, often there are not the safeguards or the attention done to fire-smarting or fire safety-ing them and so they become somewhat, in those instances, a bit of a liability to the health of the surrounding lands.”

He adds there are also concerns about wildlife, and how the public, which may be in the park for recreation or tourism, will affect the environment.

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