taking care of nature

BLOG: NATURE NOTES

New year, new you: Molting in different groups of animals

Happy New Year! New year, new skin! Molting is when an animal will shed their outer layer for a new one. This happens for different reasons for different species, but mainly it's for growth, or general wear and tear that needs replacing. Here are some different types of molting: Ecdysis: This is a common practice in invertebrates who have a hard exoskeleton. Because the exoskeleton does not grow with the organism, they have to remove the previous one and grow a new one. The o

Grouse: A winter snack for Lynx

You may of heard of the boom-bust cycle for Snowshoe hare and Canada Lynx, but did you know that other species are affected by this cycle too? When Lynx populations have risen and lowered the Snowshoe hare populations, Grouse can be a popular alternative for these cats. Grouse are one of the few bird species that can be seen tromping through the snow in the winter months. They can get through the winter easier than most birds because they are able to digest plants that many o

Happy Holidays!

What winter is like for Insects

Did you know that many insects will go through diapause to get through the winter? Diapause can act as a form of hibernation that is genetically pre-programmed into certain species. This can happen during certain times of the year or certain periods in their life cycle. During this time, any development of the organism is put on hold in order to save enough energy for the creature to survive. It is normal for all reproductive functions to stop completely and for the organism

Happy World Soil Day!

Unless you're a farmer, a gardener, or maybe a worm, you might not be thinking of soil on the regular. But maybe that should change, as soil is EVERYTHING. Soil is a mix of minerals, organic matter, water, gases and living organisms. It provides us with most of the food we eat, filters the water we drink, stores carbon and helps to regulate the atmosphere. Healthy soils protect us from flooding, help to mitigate drought, and increase biodiversity. Healthy soil contains billio

WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?

Stewardship is the act of taking care of fish and wildlife habitat by people like you

WHAT WE DO

OSS works directly with local residents in order to support and assist them in caring for important natural areas. Over the past ten years, since our inception in October 2013, OSS has undertaken an array of initiatives including outreach and neighbourhood initiatives, one-on-one contact with land managers, community and government partnerships and collaborations, and has made significant contributions to wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement throughout the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys.

Provide information, assistance and advice about local species and spaces including tailored habitat assessments prepared by our local biologists.	Provide assistance and support to landowners as stewards in conservation, restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitats on their properties while maintaining other land use practices such as agriculture and eco-tourism. Develop best management practices and management plans for coexisting with wildlife on your property.
Develop and lead habitat enhancement projects, such as native plant enhancement, exclusion fencing along shorelines, and invasive plant management. We have planted almost 33,000 Indigenous trees and shrubs!	We are partnered with over 150 stewards of over 10,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat

Meet our Team

WHERE WE WORK
OSS works in the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys, primarily on the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan and Secwepemc people, throughout the Regional Districts of Okanagan Similkameen, Central Okanagan and North Okanagan. This region is an exceptional place, known for its spectacular landscapes, iconic wildlife, amazing outdoor recreation opportunities, world-class wines and diverse agricultural products. The region is also home to some of the greatest concentrations of species diversity and species at risk in Canada and is one of Canada's most endangered natural systems.

Map showing locations of over 125 wildlife habitat stewards