Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Curtis Goodrum

GRASSLAND CONSERVATION

Management planning underway for Juniper Ridge Grasslands bought by BC Parks Foundation

Apr 3, 2025 | 4:40 PM

KAMLOOPS — The B.C. Parks Foundation has bought over 500 acres of land tucked between the Juniper Ridge and Rose Hill areas of Kamloops, after a successful crowdfunding campaign. The funding push wrapped up this week after it was launched in February, and the group now has to decide what the land’s future will be.

“The land is now purchased. We had the contract of purchase and sale before we started the crowdfunding campaign because we, you know, you can’t kind of raise money and then give it back,” said Andy Day, Chief Executive Officer of the B.C. Parks Foundation.

The Foundation now has to look to managing and preparing the land for public use.

“Now that the excitement of all of this is through, we have turned our attention to developing a management plan for the property,” Day said.

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Day plans on maintaining his commitment to the reason they began fundraising.

“All of the reasons that we wanted to protect this property and conserve it, like the endangered species that are there and the great recreational values and all of those things, need to be brought together,” said Day.

With wildlife and ecosystem preservation in mind, the area will remain closed to the public until its environment has been studied.

“We just really ask people to kind of, you know, stay off it for now until we get a good plan in place. We don’t want that area getting trampled. I think it’s wonderful that people want to get out and be healthy and get outside, but allow us to make sure the environment is safe first,” said Day.

The B.C. Parks Foundation says that work will take place this summer, and the area will be accessible after its completed.