Re: “Rattlesnake Bluff named a conservation area,” Oct. 24, 2009:
We warmly congratulate and thank Phil and Arlene Thiemer for donating the area known as Rattlesnake Bluff to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The designation of Rattlesnake Bluff as a conservation area means that these rugged cliffs and grasslands will continue to provide nooks and crannies prized by birds, bats and snakes, including the provincially rare rattlesnake the bluff is named for.
Given that more than 40 per cent of federally listed species at risk are found in grasslands, such designations are extremely valuable.
The Grasslands Conservation Council of B.C. recently completed an Ecological Area Assessment for the City of Kamloops, which highlighted the critical role of this portion of the Lac du Bois grasslands in sustaining wildlife populations and provincially unique ecosystems and in providing the outstanding recreational opportunities that Kamloops is known for.
The collaboration between the Thiemers, NCC, Kamloops Naturalist Club, the Highland Valley Enhancement Fund and provincial and federal governments is an inspiring example of how we can work together to conserve grasslands for the benefit of us all.
CATRINA CROWE
Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia
