The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) has received $44,600 in funding toward restoration of the Vaseux Floodplain area.
The funding from the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) will further efforts the ONA has been making for the past 20 years in restoring the Okanagan River's riparian habitats from Penticton and south through the valley.
Currently, work is underway in the Vaseux Floodplain area, where the goal is restore more than 10,000 square metres of land to riparian habitat fit for off-channel rearing of juvenile salmon after it was channelized in the 1950s.
"The scale and extent of development within the Okanagan River valley since European colonization continues to impede restoration," said Kasey Moran, ecosystems project manager at the ONA. "What makes this project special is that the Vaseux Floodplain area is one of the few places in the valley where floodplain reconnection doesn鈥檛 require the removal of buildings and other major infrastructure."
The planned restoration will see the ONA excavate and reshape the floodplain with the creation of a new pond and connections back to Okanagan River.
"This project will make a huge difference in our Chinook recovery efforts and continue to support k艂 cp虛蓹lk虛 stim虛 (cause to come back),鈥� said Moran. 鈥淲e are grateful for PSF鈥檚 support of this project, and we hope to continue to work together to restore and protect siw涩k史 (water) for tmix史 (all living things), including ntytyix (Chief Salmon).鈥�
The Vaseux Floodplain is located within the Vaseux-Bighorn National Wildlife Area south of Penticton.
The ONA's restoration project is one of 59 conservation and stewardship projects funded in PSF鈥檚 latest Community Salmon Program cycle.
Every year, this grant program strategically leverages $1.5 million in revenue from the Salmon Conservation Stamp, along with generous donations, to support more than 150 salmon conservation projects in B.C. and the Yukon.
鈥淔or decades, Community Salmon Program grant recipients have made significant strides for local salmon populations by restoring critical habitat, fostering climate resilience, and raising awareness for at-risk populations," said Michael Meneer, CEO and president of the PSF.
The current funding cycle with the PSF is still open and will remain so until Feb. 15.
