Marron River
Grasslands

South Okanagan, Thompson-Okanagan

Ecological Strengths At A Glance

Species Richness

Recognized for supporting a high diversity of plant and animal species.

Rare Species & Ecosystems

Scored highly for the presence of rare species and sensitive ecological communities.

Ecosystem Representation

Identified as an important opportunity to improve protection for ecosystems that are currently underrepresented in conserved lands across the province.

Donate Now

We did it! Rare, open, native grasslands protected forever in the South Okanagan.

NTBC has successfully raised the final $1.22 million to protect the 77-acre Marron River Grasslands in the South Okanagan.

Now secured, this land will remain intact forever, protecting biodiversity, supporting climate resilience, and benefiting future generations.

American badgers among grass and wildflowers

Why is Marron River Grasslands so important?

A Lewis’s woodpecker on the trunk of a tree

Rare native grasslands

35 acres of native open grasslands on this site represent an endangered ecosystem, covering less than 1% of BC but supporting more species at risk than any other ecosystem.

Wildflowers and native vegetation in an open landscape

Critical habitat for species at risk

American badger, western rattlesnake, Great Basin gophersnake, Lewis’s woodpecker, pallid bat, western screech-owl, common nighthawk, and western tiger salamander all call this land home.

An expansive view across the Okanagan landscape

Winter range for mule deer

This conservation area provides essential winter habitat for declining mule deer populations in southern BC.

Native grassland and floodplain habitat near Okanagan Falls

Life-giving riparian corridor

The Marron River supports birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and native plants year-round in this dry landscape.

A Rare And Vulnerable Ecosystem

Marron River Grasslands, located in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx People of the Okanagan Nation, shelters several species at risk, from American badger to western rattlesnake. By protecting this land, you help preserve a remarkable diversity of wildlife, plants, and ecosystems.

This land is truly rare. Native grasslands cover less than 1% of British Columbia’s land base, yet they support more species at risk than any other ecosystem in the province. Marron River Grasslands protects not only these fragile grasslands, but also sagebrush steppe, old coniferous forest, and vital riparian habitat along the Marron River itself.

Rolling grassland hills and scattered conifers in the White Lake Basin

Map showing the location of the project within the region

Thank You For Protecting Habitat For At-Risk Species

Native vegetation across a protected landscape

This project was made possible through the collective support of the many individuals who make up our community, a keystone donation from the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen – South Okanagan Conservation Fund, along with funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Priority Places Initiative, Okanagan Similkameen Parks Society, South Okanagan Naturalists’ Club, the BC Parks Foundation, Sitka Foundation, and a generous contribution from former landowner Doreen Olson.

From all of us at NTBC, thank you for being part of this effort. Whether you gave, shared the campaign, or followed along, you helped make this outcome possible.

Vital grasslands, protected forever.

With your help, we have raised the final $1.22 million needed to purchase and protect these rare, open native grasslands for future generations. Donate to support ongoing stewardship of this land.

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We gratefully acknowledge that our Vancouver office is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, who have been stewarding this land since time immemorial. Our work and conservation areas encompass many lands throughout the province, and we humbly acknowledge the First Nations communities who live on and steward these lands.