Did you know that 30% of BC’s endangered species live in grassland habitats year-round, and many more, including elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep, are dependent on them for an important portion of their lifecycle? In large part, this is because grasslands themselves are endangered, making up only 1% of the province’s land base. And, since most are in river valleys, they face intense pressure from human development.
In addition to the vital role they play in maintaining biodiversity, grasslands are better than forests at countering the effects of climate change, absorbing and storing billions of tonnes of carbon. For all of these reasons, the news that the BC Parks Foundation has pledged millions of dollars to purchase 517 acres of grassland above Juniper Ridge in Kamloops, BC, is amazing.
The deal is not yet complete though: $2 million more is needed by March 14. A generous donor has stepped up to match what is raised by the community by up to $1 million, and a crowd-funding campaign⎯operating all over the province⎯is on to raise the rest. As I write this, we are over ¼ of the way to that last million!
Want more details? Check out the Juniper Ridge project. BC Parks representatives, who have run campaigns like this before, say they have never failed to meet the goal by the deadline. Let’s not let them down!
Photo credit: BC Parks Foundation. The area to be preserved is on top of the ridge above the Juniper Ridge subdivision. The Juniper Ridge subdivision area is on the hillside at the south-east end of the city, south of the Thompson River. Please respect that the land is currently private and may not be entered without permission of the owners.
