Lot 280 Wetland Restoration Project

The Nature Trust of British Columbia

The Nature Trust of British Columbia is a leading non-profit land conservation organization. We protect and care for B.C.’s most critical habitats for vulnerable wildlife, fish and plants. Since 1971, The Nature Trust and our partners have saved more than 180,000 acers (73,000 hectares) of land.

This multi-year project aims to restore the ecological function of a drained field and ditch, contributing to aquifer recharge, mitigating downstream erosion caused by fast-moving flows through the straightened ditch, and providing critical wetland habitat refugia for multiple wildlife species in this arid region. The White Lake Basin is one of the largest intact grasslands in the South Okanagan and supports approximately 57 provincially and federally listed species at risk, including the federally endangered little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium), great basin spadefoot (Spea intermontana), and western rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus), all which are designated as species of special concern within the province. This project is in cooperation with the B.C. Wildlife Federation (BCWF), Penticton Indian Band, and the Lower Nipit Improvement District (LNID) on this wetland restoration project located at NTBC’s White Lake Basin Biodiversity Ranch-legally described as district Lot 280

This project is the first year of a 3-year request. Approved by Regional District Okanagan Similkameen Board and $75,000.00 was allocated from the South Okanagan Conservation Fund in 2025. The project is expected to complete by January 31, 2026.