Princeton, Vermilion Forks, British Columbia
The Okanagan Dry Forests ecoregion, located in the rain shadow of the Pacific Ranges, is a diverse and drier area compared to its surroundings. It features warm to hot summers and cool winters with minimal snowfall. The varied climate creates a range of microclimates, resulting in diverse ecosystems including ponderosa pine woodlands, grasslands, and shrub-steppes. These “pocket deserts” are home to many rare and at-risk species like the sharp-tailed grouse, flammulated owl, western rattlesnake, and American badger. I saw non of these on my latest trip however did spot a white tailed deer, a female grouse, a golden-crowned kinglet, chipmunks, squirrels and a Black-billed Magpie. As for plants at higher elevations, lodgepole pine, aspen, white spruce, and Douglas-fir dominate, with Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir in the subalpine zones. The region also has beautiful lake, stream, and meadow ecosystems.
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