Anarchist Mountain is a special place for both humans and wildlife. In addition to incredible vistas and (a deep sense of community?), it also supports habitats for an increidble variety of South Okanagn Wildlife. Above the patchwork of vineyards in the valley bottom, Lewis' Woodpeckers fly between Ponderosa Pines, Great Basin Spadefoots burrow in loose sands, and Black Bears feast on Saksatoon. Anarchist Mountain is a place where humans and wildlife can peacefully coexist.
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But there are threats to this coexistance. Invasive specices and constant developement directly reduce the amount and quality of habitat available to these animals, while road buildilng and increased fencing breaks up the habitat that is left. Keeping patches of intact habitat connected is vital to helping widlife continue to life on 'the Mountain'.
Your Role as a Land Steward
As a landowner or farmer living on Anarchist Mountain, your property is part of a larger, living network. Through intentional stewardship and on-the-ground management, you can play a pivotral role in keeping the wildlife and natural areas here healthy and safe. Habitat stewardship doesn't always need to be grand gestures and large scale projects either - simple, meaningful choices can also have big impacts.
I choose to:
You can do this and still be FireSmart!
Don't know where to start? Unsure of what to do to best help wildlife? Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship's Wildlife Habitat Steward (WHS) Program might be just
the thing for you!
The WHS initiative is a free program where landowners are provided with personalized advice, assistance and sometimes even technical support with habitat enhancement projects, management plans, implementation of best management practices for wildlife on their properties. Even if you are "using" your property for tourism, agriculture, or other uses, the program can stil work for you! Best management practices don't always require you to be completely hands off, either! Many farmers, B&B owners and tourism operators practice stewarship while still maintaining their original land use. Contact Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship to learn more, or check out the WIldlife Habitat Stewardship webpage for more information.
Wondering who and what may be impacted by your choices? All wildlife and habitats stand to benefit from stewardship but some species are easier to observe and some habitat changes may be more visible than others. Check out the wildlife section below to learn about some of the wildlife you may see and help, or the habitats section further down to find out more about the plant communities on your property
In addition to simply being a great place for wildlife (and humans!) to live, Anarchist Mountain also acts as an important wildlife corridor in the region. Wildlife corridors are connected strips of natural habitat that allows animals to move freely across the landscape while avoiding areas of intensive agricutural or urban developement. The mostly continuous stretch of grasslands, forests, and seasonal ponds on Anarchist Mountain help wildlife move through the South Okanagan area without having to risk the more heavily developed valley bottom
Perhaps a few arrows showing potential corridors? Or not?
Many animals, especially larger species such as deer, bears, bighorn sheep, and bobcats, use different areas for sleeping, hunting, foraging, and raising offspring. They rely greatly on wildlife corridors to travel safely between these areas. Without this safe and connected habitat, they face increased risks of road collisions, food shortages, and human persecution. Other wildlife such as amphibians or pollinators, may not range far, but rely on these corridor habitats for all of their needs and can be greatly affected when their habitats are destroyed as they are unable to move to different area. Learn more about all these wildlife species below!
Wildlife on Anarchist Mountain
Different Habitats on Anarchist Mountain
Keeping natural areas connected and protected supports the health and function of wildlife habitats. These areas are critical not only for our survival, our economic security, health and well-being, but also for wildlife that depend upon them. The Okanagan region is one of the fastest growing in Canada, and the ability of the landscape to provide essential functions such as habitat for species, pollination, flood mitigation, and clean air and water is at risk if we don't protect local ecosystems.
Other Resources
