Featured Properties
World-class conservation efforts by local land trust partners, in consultation with KCP, have resulted in the acquisition of properties throughout the East and West Kootenay that protect fish and wildlife, movement corridors, grasslands, old forests, and riparian areas.
These properties have increased landscape-level connectivity and secured valuable habitat for species at risk. The following acquisitions are just a selection of the over 60 properties that have been secured for conservation in the Kootenay region.
2022
Hoodoos – Columbia Wetlands – 2022
The Nature Trust of BC: This 57-hectare (143-acre) property is adjacent to The Nature Trust of BC’s Hoodoos Conservation Complex, and a portion of the Columbia Wetlands Wildlife Management Area.
2020
Rixen Creek – 2020
The Nature Trust of BC: Located within the West Kootenay dry warm Interior Cedar Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone, the 32-hectare (80-acre) Rixen Creek property has a mix of habitat types including forest, meadow and riparian, which occur among varied elevations, slopes and aspects.
2020
Kootenay River Ranch Expansion – 2020
Nature Conservancy of Canada: The acquisition of two more land parcels along the Kootenay River valley bottom means 260 hectares (637 acres) more habitat for American Badgers, Grizzly and Black Bears and a variety of ungulates.
2019
Next Creek – 2019
Nature Conservancy of Canada: This large land acquisition (7,881 hectares/19,474 acres) grows the size of the Darkwoods Conservation Area by 14% and protects the ecological integrity of a conservation network that has national and international significance and protects habitat of wide-ranging species like grizzly bear and wolverine.
Columbia River Wetlands – Edgewater – 2019
The Nature Trust of BC: Located north of Radium Hot Springs, these conservation lands cover 171.5 hectares (423 acres) and feature outstanding habitat and connectivity for Grizzly Bears and American Badgers. They also provide winter range for Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer and Moose.
2018
Morrissey Meadows – 2018
Nature Conservancy of Canada: This 43-hectare (106 acres) property is located near Fernie, B.C. in the Elk River Valley. This property provides a high ecological value wildlife corridor including linkage to existing protected areas.
2017
Bull River Grassland Corridor – 2017
The Nature Trust of BC: This property is located near the community of Bull River and is part of the Bull River complex of provincial and Nature Trust of BC conservation lands. The addition of this 67.7-hectare (168-acre) property secures important habitat for species at risk, ungulate winter range, and dry grassland ecosystems.
Meadow Creek South – 2017
The Nature Trust of BC: This property, located near the community of Meadow Creek, is in the heart of a riparian complex comprised of beaver ponds and wetlands.
2016
Luxor Linkage Mountain and Luxor Linkage Wetland – 2016-2017
Nature Conservancy of Canada: This property, located in the Upper Columbia Valley, connects Kootenay National Park to the ecologically significant Columbia River Wildlife Management Area and secures important valley-bottom habitat.
2015
SRL-K2 Ranch Conservation Project – 2015
Nature Conservancy of Canada: Located in the Upper Columbia Valley, approximately 12 kilometres south of Invermere, the SRL-K2 Ranch Conservation Project protects 4,529 hectares (11,190 acres) of mixed forest and grassland on the west side of Windermere Lake.
2015
Luke Creek Wildlife Corridor – 2015
Nature Conservancy of Canada: This 396-acre property is located southeast of Kimberley, B.C. in the Wycliffe Prairie area and provides a contiguous connection between the St. Mary River in the south and Crown land in the north, maintaining connectivity for wide-ranging mammals such as grizzly bears.
2014
Cherry Meadows – 2014
Nature Conservancy of Canada: This 70-hectare (173-acre) property is located in the Rocky Mountain Trench near Kimberley, B.C. Cherry Meadows features forests of ponderosa pine and extensive wetlands. Walking trails wind through the conservation area, and Mather Creek flows through Cherry Meadows, connecting directly to Bummers Flats’ ecologically sensitive wetlands.
Wigwam Flats – Lot 3 – 2014
The Nature Trust of BC: This 2-hectare (5-acre) property contributes to the natural mosaic of grassland, open forest and closed canopy forest habitats on the adjacent conservation lands owned by The Nature Trust of BC and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural Development.
2013
Midgeley Conservation Area (Frog Bear Conservation Corridor) – 2013
Nature Conservancy of Canada: The Midgeley Conservation Area is an important addition to the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Frog Bear Conservation Corridor in the Creston Valley, an area that serves as a gateway to connect the threatened South Selkirk grizzly bears with the larger grizzly bear population to the east.
2012
Frog Bear Conservation Corridor – 2012
Nature Conservancy of Canada: Located at the south end of Kootenay Lake in the Creston Valley, the Frog Bear Conservation Corridor is used by an at‐risk population of grizzly bears as they move between the Selkirk and Purcell mountains. The valley is also the only known breeding location in British Columbia of the endangered northern leopard frog.
Columbia Lake – Lot 48 – 2012
Nature Conservancy of Canada: Located on the east short of Columbia Lake, near the headwaters of the Columbia River, Lot 48 is part of a network of conservation lands and wildlife management areas that spans more than 7,600 hectares (18,500 acres).
2011
Marion Creek Benchlands – 2011
Nature Conservancy of Canada: Acquisition of the 204-hectare (504-acre) Marion Creek Benchlands parcel has effectively and immediately secured the benchlands on the western side of Columbia Lake from the ever-present threat of residential subdivision and development.
2010
Slocan River Island – 2010
The Nature Trust of BC: This 60-hectare (148-acre) property is located in the Slocan River Valley, providing a valuable link in the riparian corridor between the communities of Slocan and Winlaw.
2008
Darkwoods Conservation Area – 2008
Nature Conservancy of Canada: This 63,000-hectare (155,000-acre) conservation property was conserved in 2008 and expanded in 2019 and is the single largest private land conservation project in Canada.
2007
Lardeau – Duncan Expansion – 2007
The Nature Trust of BC: In 2007, the Nature Trust of BC added this 80-hectare (198-acre) parcel of land to the existing network of key conservation properties in the Duncan – Lardeau River Delta.
Bull River – Lower Norbury Creek – 2007
The Nature Trust of BC: This property is located near the community of Bull River, and is part of the Bull River complex of provincial and the Nature Trust of BC conservation lands.
2006
Fort Shepherd – 2006
The Land Conservancy of BC: With the largest intact area of very dry, warm Interior Cedar Hemlock in British Columbia, the Fort Shepherd Conservancy Area is ecologically unique.
Pine Butte Ranch – 2006
Nature Conservancy of Canada: Located southeast of Kimberley, B.C., Pine Butte Ranch is an active cattle ranch that protects important habitat for species such as grizzly bear, wolf, elk and American badger.
2005
Dutch Creek Hoodoos Conservation Area – 2005
Nature Conservancy of Canada: The Dutch Creek Hoodoos protects ecologically and culturally significant hoodoo formations in the Columbia Valley. The 25-hectare (62-acre) property also is part of an immensely important wildlife corridor.
2004
Thunder Hill Ranch – 2004
Nature Conservancy of Canada: Thunder Hill Ranch is a large, operational ranch in the upper Columbia Valley, located on the shores of Columbia Lake. In 2004, this 600-hectare (1,480-acre) property became the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s first ranching-conservation partnership project in B.C.
Kootenay River Ranch – 2004
Nature Conservancy of Canada: In 2004, the Nature Conservancy of Canada acquired 1,255 hectares (3,100 acres) in the East Kootenay to establish the Kootenay River Ranch Conservation Area. In 2020, NCC expanded this conservation area by 260 hectares (637 acres), protecting important valley-bottom habitats in the Rocky Mountain Trench.
2003
Hoodoos – 2003
The Nature Trust of BC: The Nature Trust of BC’s largest acquisition, this 3,922-hectare (9,690-acre) property conserves abundant wildlife habitat including ecologically significant wetlands, grasslands and ungulate winter range.
2002
Flathead River Ranch – 2002
Nature Conservancy of Canada: This 78-hectare (192-acre) property is located on the B.C.-Montana border, within the expansive wilderness area known as the Flathead River Valley.