Woodhaven Nature Conservancy
Features and Things To Do:
Woodhaven has four distinct zones that have different plant life because of its
varied location and corresponding climates. To the north is the dry interior zone
with its Ponderosa Pine ecosystem. In the west is the wet interior zone with a canopy
covering the trails with Black Cottonwood and Western Red Cedar trees. In the south
is the creek with thick undergrowth for wildlife seeking shelter.
There is also a zone
featuring interior
Douglas fir.
Link to Woodhaven Nature
Conservancy Regional
Park pamphlet
General Information:
Woodhaven Nature Conservancy is 8.7 hectares and contains a beautiful trail system
through four distinct natural ecosystems. It also includes a historical irrigation
flume.
The park is open during daylight hours
April 1st to October
31st and may be
temporarily closed when
there are high winds.
The park is closed
November 1st to March
31st, during winter
months.
There are washroom facilities and a parking lot.
Help protect park vegetation and wildlife by using only designated trails. Leave
only footprints and take only pictures.
Dogs are not permitted within this conservation area. Motorized vehicles are not
permitted on the trails. Overnight camping, open fires and smoking are not permitted.
Regional Parks Interpretive
Programs are available by donation for school and community groups who'd like to
learn about our local environment and cultural history.
Directions:
Raymer Road in the Mission area of Kelowna. Take Gordon Road south and turn left
onto Raymer Road after DeHart. Woodhaven is at the end of the road.
Click here
for a Street
Map to Park
History:
Woodhaven was slated for development in the early 1970's and survived only through
the determination of dedicated naturalists, Jim and Joan Burbridge. The Burbridge's
convinced elected officials that the property should be preserved. With support
from local residents,
the province and conservation groups
(Nature Trust of British
Columbia and the Nature
Conservancy of Canada) the decision was made to turn the area
into a Regional Park. You will still see several stumps where the first few trees
were cut down before the area was preserved.
The Burbridge's continued as resident caretakers and guardians of the park for almost
thirty years. Joan Burbridge led interpretive tours through the park and wrote a
great field guide called Wildflowers of the Southern Interior of British Columbia.
Both Jim and Joan have since passed away but they leave behind a natural legacy
for future generations.
In February 2007, the
Regional Board decided
to close the park after
receiving a detailed
Forest Health Assessment
of its Regional Park
system, which
specifically mentioned
safety issues that were
identified relating to
aging trees within
Woodhaven.
Compounding the
requirement for hazard
tree assessments,
naturalists pointed out
to the Regional District
that Woodhaven was home
to at least one pair of
Western Screech Owls, an
endangered species.
Studies were conducted
and work plans created
to not only reduce the
safety threat along
trails in the park, but
to ensure protection of
the sensitive ecosystems
and habitat for the owls
and other wildlife.
The work was completed
in the spring of 2009
with the park re-opening
to the public on June
19th, 2009.
Woodhaven Eco Art
Project
From mid-April
through October 2010, a
unique Eco Art Project
was held in
Woodhaven Nature
Conservancy Regional
Park
facilitated by UBC
Okanagan Creative
Writing Professor Nancy
Holmes with faculty and
students in
collaboration with Lori
Mairs and other local
artists. (News
Release and report
to
Governance and Services
Committee)
All works of art had minimal impact on
the park's natural
environment.
Nothing was left in the park and
nothing was removed from
the park. The Eco
Art Project was supported
by the Regional District
of Central Okanagan and
funded by the Hampton
Fund at the University
of British Columbia.
For information about the
project:
Bears and other
wildlife may be found in this park.
Please be bear aware
when in this park.
Safety Guide to Bears in
the Wild
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