Cottonwood Lake Conservation Area
Forest of Cottonwood Lake Conservation Area (Photo by NCC)
South of Nelson, BC, in the traditional unceded territory of the Ktunaxa, Syilx and Sinixt Peoples, a steeply sloped forest rises above Cottonwood Lake.
Populated with western red-cedar, western hemlock, Douglas-fir and western larch, including pockets of old-growth, this forest harbours important biodiversity and functions as a wildlife corridor. The forest is adjacent to Cottonwood Lake Regional Park, providing a spectacular backdrop to this popular community recreation site.
In the face of logging pressures, the Cottonwood Lake Preservation Society (CLPS), a community-led organization, mounted a campaign to conserve the forest. In 2021, the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) acquired the area with funds raised by the CLPS. The regional district then transferred this land to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), ensuring a permanent conservation future for the forest.
NCC and RDCK will be collaborating on future restoration and land management initiatives at Cottonwood Lake.
Conservation values
Grizzly bears — considered an umbrella species — depend on connectivity between habitats to forage and hunt. In the West Kootenay Natural Area where species populations can be separated by mountains and valleys, Cottonwood Lake Conservation Area is part of a valuable grizzly bear corridor, as it connects an isolated population of bears to nearby habitats.
Grizzly bears are known to roam through Cottonwood Lake Conservation Area (Photo by Jenel Bode)
Cavity-nesting birds, such as western screech-owl, are able to potentially find homes in the old growth trees on the property as natural wildlife trees become rarer in British Columbia. The creek that pierces through this land provides habitat for amphibians like the western toad.
Given the conservation area’s proximity to Cottonwood Lake, valuable breeding, foraging and resting habitat for migrating waterfowl such as hooded merganser and horned grebe will be protected for the long term as well.
With logging pressures alleviated and with active land stewardship caring for the land into the future, the forest at Cottonwood Lake will continue to nurture a thriving community of plants, wildlife and people.
Partners in conservation
The creation of Cottonwood Lake Conservation Area is the result of a partnership between NCC, RDCK and the CLPS, who fundraised to acquire the area in 2021.
