Daphne Ogilvie Nature Sanctuary

Ogilvie sunset on forest, BC (Photo by NCC)

The Daphne Ogilvie Nature Sanctuary was a safe haven for wildlife long before it became a Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) property. Tended for close to two decades by Daphne and Hugh Ogilvie, the 194-hectare (480-acre) ranch near Clinton, BC, on the Cariboo Plateau attracts birds, mammals and other creatures to its wetlands, grasslands and forests.

After Hugh became unwell and passed away in the late 1980s, Daphne managed the ranch on her own. She took great pleasure in inviting birders and other naturalists from around BC to visit her land and enjoy the spectacular display of wildlife. A keen birder herself, Daphne recorded more than 70 bird species here. She documented the other animals that came calling, including moose, black bears, wolves and deer. Further in the distance she would watch bighorn sheep travel along the mountain ridges that lined the horizon.

Daphne Ogilvie

One of Daphne’s last life wishes was to see her beloved ranch passed on to NCC to manage and conserve in perpetuity. In 2007 the ranch passed into NCC’s ownership and was crowned the Daphne Ogilvie Nature Sanctuary.

“It is a great relief to me to know that this beautiful property will be preserved and always be a sanctuary for the local flora and fauna," said Daphne in 1995, "especially when one sees the amount of logging in this immediate neighbourhood.”

The Daphne Ogilvie Nature Sanctuary was the BC Region’s 2007 Gift to Canadians.

Conservation values

The property features rich wetlands that offer valuable habitat for birds and other water-dependent species. The most significant bird species observed on the property is the rare sandhill crane. We believe they are or were breeding on the property.

The grassland portions of the property are in robust health, supporting a high diversity of species.