Kelowna Philanthropists Partner with BC Parks Foundation to Protect Land Around Okanagan Lake

February 19, 2025 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VANCOUVER, BC - When Colin Pritchard was growing up in the Okanagan, he was drawn to the Kokanee salmon. Little did he know then that he would be instrumental in protecting them as an adult.

The Kelowna resident is so passionate about protecting the salmon along the shoreline of Okanagan Lake that he recently donated to the protection of 288 acres (117 hectares) of land near Westside Road.

But he didn’t stop there. He managed to convince two Kelowna residents who were part-owners to donate their interests in the land, making the whole deal possible.

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.”

Photos and video of the area and wildlife can be found here.

BC Parks Foundation proudly acts as the official charitable partner for British Columbia’s world class system of parks and conservation areas. We inspire and empower you to enjoy and conserve areas in BC, so that they flourish for now, for all, forever.

bcparksfoundation.ca

The Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program (OCCP) is a collaboration of 40 organizations that work to conserve and restore natural areas in the Central and North Okanagan. The partners include all levels of government, environmental organizations, stewardship groups, land trusts, naturalist clubs and academia. The Program is guided by “The Biodiversity Strategy for the Okanagan Region” to set priorities on conservation issues in the Okanagan basin.

okcp.ca

Environment and Climate Change Canada is committed to protecting and conserving our natural heritage, predicting weather and environmental conditions, preventing and managing pollution, promoting clean growth and a sustainable environment for present and future generations.

Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF), which supported this acquisition, is a $1.4 billion, ten-year fund (2021–2031) administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada to help conserve, restore, and enhance the management of ecosystems such as wetlands, peatlands, forests, and grasslands, in order to help tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The NSCSF focuses on three main objectives: (1) conserving carbon-rich ecosystems at high risk of conversion to other uses that would release their stored carbon; (2) improving land management practices to reduce their greenhouse gas emission-causing impacts on Canada’s ecosystems; and (3) restoring degraded ecosystems. Overall, these projects will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and increased carbon sequestration, while also providing benefits for biodiversity and human well-being.

canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change.html

The Wilson 5 Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established in 2012 by Chip and Summer Wilson. The foundation partners with world class organizations and invests time, knowledge, and resources to create what otherwise might not occur. The Wilson 5 Foundation is focused on funding land conservancy, park creation and sharing public art in British Columbia.

wilson5foundation.org

Chelsea Rooney
chelsea.rooney@bcparksfoundation.ca
(236) 477-2554 x 130