Geddes Creek

Geddes Creek Conservation Area. (Photo by Nick Nault)

Nestled against the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains, the forests of Geddes Creek Conservation Area link the upper mountains to the rich wetlands of the valley-bottom below. Located just north of Radium Hot Springs in an area that is experiencing growing development pressures, this conservation area adds to a mosaic of protected lands in the Rocky Mountain Trench, providing welcome, safe passage for many species iconic to this region.

Grizzly bears — which are experiencing increasing habitat fragmentation due to development and land conversion — travel through this area in search of food, mates and denning sites. Elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer and white-tailed deer forage amongst the stands of Douglas-fir and montane spruce in the winter when conditions higher on the mountains are harsh. Endangered American badger also find open grassy habitat on Geddes Creek in which to burrow and hunt for Columbia ground squirrel.

Geddes Creek is directly adjacent to Kootenay National Park and overlooks the Columbia Wetlands Wildlife Management Area in the valley bottom below. This makes it an important piece of the Radium wildlife corridor, identified by the Kootenay Connect initiative as an area critical for at-risk species and wildlife movement. It is also located within a regional climate change corridor, and its diverse habitats offer a refuge for species affected by climate change.

Keeping critical wildlife corridors open and free from human development reduces human-wildlife conflicts and ensures that animals have safe places to live and move freely. Strategically conserving land outside of national parks also expands habitat connectivity, helping to ensure that nature can continue delivering services that all living beings depend on, such as flood mitigation, carbon sequestration and pollination.

An access management plan is being developed so that Geddes Creek can be used by the public for walk-in access on its pre-existing trails.

Partners in conservation

This critical land purchase was made possible through funding from the partnership between the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Parks Canada, the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program and the Regional District of East Kootenay's Columbia Valley Local Conservation Fund.