White Lake Grasslands Protected Area is bigger now, thanks to an “ecological gift” from South Okanagan resident Denis Pelletier. The site located on the White Lake/Fairview Rd near the former boar ranch at Yellow Brick Road.

Pelletier donated the 60 acres, valued at $475,000, to the Province of BC in memory of his late parents.

The property is located in an area of the province classified as the Ponderosa Pine Biogeoclimatic Zone. This is one of four zones that are of provincial conservation concern. It is rare (less than one per cent of the provincial land base) and listed by B.C.’s Conservation Data Centre (CDC) as being of “special concern” due to high losses – 21 per cent has been converted for human use such as residential development and agriculture.

Pelletier said he gave the land in the name of his parents who lived all their lives in Alberta but when visiting the Oliver area always expressed their desire to re-locate.

Above – picture of dedicated area. Upper photograph shows Lyonel Doherty of the Oliver Chronicle getting picture for publication. Behind the bench –  (left to right) Parks and Environment Ministry staff Mark Weston, Dani Tarangle, Sara Bunge, Keith Baric.

Seated – John Pelletier, Denis Pelletier and Shannon Ford.