The volunteer run OSPS has been an advocate for protection of special areas and species since 1965. The society encourages better forestry practices and has been instrumental in acquiring land for Okanagan Mountain Park and Cathedral Lakes Park. OSPS has helped to preserve historical trails such as Hudson’s Bay Fur Brigade trail and the Kettle Valley Railroad. As well, this group has assisted in obtaining the Haynes Ecological Reserve and winter range near Vaseux Lake for California Bighorn Sheep.
I am working on a publication on the “Big Trees of the Inland Temperate Forests of British Columbia” and have been collecting data on these special forests for the last couple of years. I made a field trip into the Okanagan last summer, visiting some of the Baldy Larches, Peachland Pines, and Bridesville Douglas Firs. If there is any local knowledge of other significant trees in your region that you feel could use some attention, but not from loggers, please consider directing me towards some sources that I might follow up on. I was provided this contact from Joe and Jessica Klein, and have had many chats with Taryn Skalbania, so have already tapped into some of the potentials.
Thanks, Terry Nelson