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.

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• Raise awareness about local species and spaces.

  • Provide information, assistance and advice about local species and spaces including tailored habitat assessments prepared by our local biologists.

  • We have hosted and participated in 225 workshops and local community events in the past 10 years.

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• Engage landowners and communities in stewardship.

  • 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.

  • We have engaged over 2500 volunteers and community members in our projects

  • We have contacted over 500 land owners and managers per year for each of the past 10 years.

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• Support Wildlife Habitat Stewards.

  • We are partnered with 143 stewards of 9500 acres of wildlife habitat

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• Enhance and restore habitats

  • Develop and lead habitat enhancement projects, such as native plant enhancement, exclusion fencing along shorelines, and invasive plant management.

  • We have planted almost 30,000 Indigenous trees and shrubs in the past 10 years!

  • We have removed 14,000 kilograms of invasive plants and garbage from sensitive ecosystems!

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