Southern Thompson Upland Grasslands: At a Glance

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Grassland Region	Area, ha	Ecoprovince	Ecosections	Area, ha
Southern Thompson Upland	134,325	Southern Interior	Southern Thompson Upland	134,325

Grasslands Landscape

• Rolling plateau bounded by Thompson, Fraser, Similkameen Rivers and Okanagan valley
• 85% of the grasslands occur in the lower elevation Nicola valley
• Smaller areas around Princeton, at Douglas Lake, Mamit valley and Tunkwa Lake.

Special Features

Grasslands clothe the hills above Nicola Lake. GCC Files.

• Variations in grassland communities reflect influences from the surrounding valleys
• Nicola Basin grasslands are similar to those in the Thompson-Pavilion region
• Idaho fescue in Princeton Basin distinguishes it from all surrounding plateau grasslands
• Extensive higher elevation grasslands with rough fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass
• Aspen groves, lakes and wetlands provide habitat variety.

Current State

• Extensive and heavy grazing over the past 150 years
• Ploughing and seeding for crops in the Nicola Basin
• Settlements developed on grasslands and lakeshores
• Research projects are assisting the understanding of grasslands communities.

For more information on species at risk in BC, visit our SAR page.