sncəcmałqtn Agricultural Park
The sncÉ™cmaÅ‚qtn Agricultural Park, in Vernon’s BX area, is a 132 acre community property dedicated to sustainable farming and education. This property had recently been purchased by Electoral Areas B and C as a way to preserve the land for community uses such as: farmland leases, a community garden, a food forest, a pollinator meadows, a community farm, and a research and teaching farm. In addition to being a resource for humans, the area will also support wildlife with the development plan including set-asides for habitat protection areas.​
As part of this dedication to wildlife habitat, collaborators from Associated Environmental, the RDNO, BX Swan Lake Community Association, North Okanagan Naturalist club (NONC), and Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship are restoring a wetland area on site. The first phase of work completed by Associated Environmental reshaped the stream channel to restore natural water flow and improve wildlife habitat. As a second step to the restoration, in fall 2025, 320 native trees and shrubs were added to the Agricultural Park by community members and Awaken Inquiry & Adventure Okanagan. Together, we were able to plant species such as red-osier dogwood, blue elderberry, saskatoon, hawthorn, snowberry, native willows, black cottonwood, and wax currant to support a riparian buffer on the site.
