Awarded to the Nature Conservancy of Canada towards the purchase of 127ha of high value land for conservation located south of Fairmont Hot Springs on the eastern shore of Columbia Lake.
PROPONENT: Nature Conservancy of Canada
DESCRIPTION: The conservation of District Lot 48, located on the undeveloped eastern side of Columbia Lake, is hailed as the finest example of multi-faceted cooperation when it comes to conservation in the East Kootenay’s recent history. It took about two decades of negotiation, discussion and organization, resulting in several agencies working together, from conservation to industry, before the property was officially protected for its ecological and cultural importance. While $2 million in funding support from Teck Resources helped reach the $7.2 million goal to purchase the property, the NCC received valuable initial support from the Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund.
OBJECTIVE: The area supports valuable winter range for bighorn sheep, elk and other ungulates, several rare and endangered species, and is a sacred landscape to the Ktunaxa Nation. Lot 48 is adjacent to Columbia Lake Provincial Park, as well as the Columbia Wetlands Wildlife Management Area and the East Side Columbia Lake Wildlife Management Area, effectively ensuring the entire east side of the Columbia River’s headwaters lake is preserved for future generations.
PHOTO: KCP
