An Oliver man has donated a large piece of land near Oliver to be preserved as a B.C. park for everyone to enjoy.
Denis Pelletier donated 24.6 hectares of property, valued at $475,000, to the province in memory of his late parents who passed away in the early 1980s.
“Contributing to public spaces like the White Lake Grasslands Protected Area is very important for future generations. Creating, and more importantly recognizing the value of these ecologically sensitive areas, is an important step towards improving our collective quality of life in this province,” said Pelletier.
The property is located in an area the province classified as the Ponderosa Pine Biogeoclimatic zone. This is one of four zones that are of provincial conservation concern. B.C.’s Conservation Data Centre reports there are 192 species that potentially inhabit the site including several nationally listed species at risk including snakes, amphibians and birds.
The province announced they will install a B.C. Parks 100 bench on the property in recognition of Pelletier’s parents.
“The White Lake Basin has long been a priority for the conservation efforts in the Okanagan,” said Environment Minister Terry Lake. “Denis Pelletier’s donation complements the conservation values of the adjacent protected area and serves as an excellent example of nearby landowners working with B.C. Parks in helping to protect endangered ecosystems. Land donation is one of the important aspects of stewardship the public can undertake to enhance our parks and protected areas.”