Westside Road, Okanagan

Gordon Baughen and Robin Durrant didn’t need much convincing. Like Pritchard, they also love the area and the salmon and want to keep it beautiful for future generations. At Pritchard’s suggestion, they approached BC Parks Foundation about making a quiet splash to protect the shoreline and the salmon.

“It was my wife Penny’s idea to donate it. When she died in 2023, it was my trigger to donate it,” says Gordon Baughen. “Our whole family is really pleased that we were able to make this work and know that it would have made our matriarch happy.”

“Our family applauds the work of the Foundation and especially for preserving this great wildlife corridor down to the shoreline,” says Robin Durrant. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to contribute.”

“This wouldn’t have happened without them, and now they have created a legacy will benefit people, salmon and other species forever. It is another wonderful example of the power of British Columbians coming together to protect beautiful parts of our province” says BC Parks Foundation CEO Andy Day.

Conservation of the land’s forest and ecosystem also underscores how conservation projects can be part of climate solutions, which is why Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund contributed to the protection of this property.

For the Wilson 5 Foundation, who also donated, conservation areas have the added benefit of being great for people’s health and movement.

It wasn’t just donors who contributed to the project. When looking at the land, the Foundation talked to the Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program to get their knowledge and advice. Program staff were enthusiastic given the limited amount of undeveloped lakeshore with spawning habitat in the region.

Scott Boswell, Director at the Program, is very heartened to see this protective measure because the Kokanee salmon spend their entire lives in the freshwater which Okanagan Lake provides.

“The shoreline is a critical spawning ground for Kokanee salmon,” says Boswell. “By protecting this valuable ecological gem near Okanagan Lake, other species can also thrive. It’s a fantastic project.”

As for Kelowna residents Colin Pritchard, Gordon Baughen and Robin Durrant, they are proud to be part of a community of giving, and encourage others to get involved in future projects with the Foundation.

"We need to protect as much of this shoreline and protect the fish,” adds Pritchard. “It is so impressive to see so many partners and community members come to their defense. We can make a real difference together.”