Help us Bring Back the Water

The Friends of Woodhaven are launching a campaign to urge the City of Kelowna, the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, and the Province of British Columbia to work together to increase the amount of water getting into and staying in Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Regional Park. This needs to happen as quickly as possible in order to salvage the rare and sensitive ecosystems of Woodhaven and to alleviate some of the fire hazards the park currently presents.

NOTE: Donations to change.org will not go to our cause. If you would like to donate to Woodhaven, please visit our Donations page.

Woodhaven is incredibly rich in biodiversity.

It is home to red-list endangered species, such as the interior subspecies of the Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii macfarlanei) which is heavily dependent upon riparian ecosystems with mature, large-diametre trees for nesting.

Woodhaven was once a lush, wet riparian forest.

It flourished with western red cedar and black cottonwood trees, false Solomon’s seal, fairy-bell lilies, and striped coralroot orchids. Years ago, two distinct streams (North Fork Creek and Bonaparte Creek) flowed through the park, as evidenced by the dry creek beds and bridges that used to cross them.

Sadly, in the past several decades human activity has vastly reduced the amount of water entering and staying in Woodhaven, both on the surface and underground. The creeks that previously flowed through the forest have been cut off, and groundwater is continuously drained out and redirected into the city stormwater system. As a result…

Whole stands of centuries-old cedar trees have died and continue to die today.

The once cool, damp forest is now tinder-dry and overloaded with deadfall, causing an enormous fire hazard for surrounding neighbourhoods.

Without urgent action, the loss of this unique and biodiverse jewel will be irreversible.

More Ways to Help

In addition to signing the online petition, here are two ways you can make a difference.