Legacy Landscapes – Adams River

Walk with us through The Nature Trust of BC’s 48-hectare Adams River complex, looking out over the rushing river. The edges are lined with stands of old cottonwoods, bright-yellow aspens, mighty Douglas-firs and western red cedars, with bushes of dogwood and wild rose.

You hear a splash and suddenly notice the water filled with bright red sockeye salmon, more than you’ve ever seen before. You spot chinook, coho and pink salmon, and are in awe of how many fish are conserved here.

Walking through the riparian deltas surrounding the river you see so much wildlife, from flammulated and northern saw-wet owls gliding through the trees, to fluffy muskrats peeking out from the tall grass.

The Adams River complex is nestled within a larger Tsútswecw (previously Roderick Haig-Brown) Provincial Park. This huge provincial park with 2659 acres was started with the Nature Trust of BC’s acquisition of the Adams River properties between 1976-1986.

It is now protected for future generations.

“A stunning example of conservation partnership! Now managed as part of BC Parks Tsutswecw Provincial Park, this property is home to the world famous Adam River sockeye run—one of the largest Sockeye salmon runs in North America.”

– Nick Burdock, Okanagan Conservation Land Manager, The Nature Trust of BC

Facts:

• Adams River includes 6 properties and 8 hectares, and was acquired to conserve one of the largest Sockeye salmon runs in North America which occurs in Adams River, along with smaller populations of Chinook, Coho and Pink salmon.
• The complex is in the Interior Douglas-fir (IDF) biogeoclimatic zone, in two variants which are both under-represented in the protected areas system: IDFxh1 (very hot, dry) and IDFmw2 (moist, warm). Only 6.85 % of IDFxh1 and 4.08% of IDFmw2 are captured in existing protected areas.
• At-risk species include Red-listed Western grebe, Blue-listed great blue heron, flammulated owl and Northern saw-whet owl. Other species include white-tailed and mule deer, moose, black bears, river otters, beavers, mink, muskrat, bald eagles and osprey. Coyote, lynx, bobcat, cougar and grizzly bear are also present occasionally.