Marron River Grasslands

The Nature Trust of BC (NTBC) needs your help to raise $1.22 million to protect Marron River Grasslands in the South Okanagan. This 77-acre landscape must be secured by March 31, 2026.

why is protecting marron river grasslands so important to protect?

1.  Rare native grasslands: 35 acres of native open grasslands on this site represent an endangered ecosystem, covering less than 1% of BC but supporting more species at risk than any other ecosystem.
2. Critical habitat for species at risk: American badger, western rattlesnake, Great Basin gophersnake, Lewis’s woodpecker, pallid bat, western screech-owl, common nighthawk, and western tiger salamander all call this land home.
3. Winter range for mule deer: The parcel provides essential winter habitat for declining mule deer populations in southern BC.
4. Life-giving riparian corridor: The Marron River supports birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and native plants year-round in this dry landscape.

Once secured, these 77 acres will remain intact forever, protecting biodiversity, supporting climate resilience, and benefiting future generations.

Marron River Grasslands, located in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx People of the Okanagan Nation, shelters several species at risk, from American badger to western rattlesnake. By protecting this land, you help preserve a remarkable diversity of wildlife, plants, and ecosystems.

This land is truly rare. Native grasslands cover less than 1% of British Columbia’s land base, yet they support more species at risk than any other ecosystem in the province. Marron River Grasslands protects not only these fragile grasslands, but also sagebrush steppe, old coniferous forest, and vital riparian habitat along the Marron River itself.

Thanks in part to a generous gift from the landowner towards this land’s value, we’re already one step of the way to protecting this land forever. We need your help to raise $1.22 million before the end of March to ensure this special place is protected forever.

The landowner is a lifelong naturalist who has stewarded this precious land for decades, and has been doing long-term hummingbird monitoring on the parcel. With your help, we can ensure this conservation legacy remains intact, forever.