FoBM's 2020-21 Annual General Meeting
This year's AGM will take place on Tuesday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. The guest speaker will be Mr. Murry Kopp, Director of Park Services for the Regional District of Central Okanagan. Register by e-mail to receive instructions on joining the teleconference. To vote at the meeting, you need to be a member of FoBM, so please visit our Join Us page to ensure your membership is up-to-date.
Friends of Black Mountain
FoBM is a non-profit group of volunteers, dedicated to promoting the responsible discovery, enjoyment and conservation of the Black Mountain Regional Park, owned by the people of the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) and co-managed by the RDCO and the Westbank First Nation.
Enjoy the Park
Black Mountain Regional Park, centred on the imposing Black Knight Mountain of eastern Kelowna, is a 640-hectare ecological jewel of the Okanagan. The park, of great meaning to the region's indigenous peoples, has been assembled in stages in recent years. It is expected to open in its entirety in 2021. Over the past five years, our FoBM volunteers have worked hard to preserve the park's unique flora and fauna, while at the same time promoting its responsible and respectful enjoyment by the public.
What's Up?
With the Park set for a full opening this year, the RDCO is preparing two formal entrances with proper parking lots and amenities. In the meantime, we at FoBM are developing a complementary suite of activities, including organizing teams to maintain the trail network and leading interpretive hikes. We're also looking to establish special groups of interested park users, from dog owners and horseback riders to trail bikers and conservationists. So come out and join us. Our AGM takes place via Zoom on March 23.
Beautiful Birds
A signature FoBM activity involves fostering a healthy and flourishing population of bluebirds. For several years we've installed and monitored nesting boxes to encourage bluebirds to make the park their home. But we're not playing favourites: We love all birds! So visit our Bluebirds page to learn more about our special feathered friends, and check out our Mountain Ecology page to admire the many other raptors, songbirds and other winged wonders that love Black Mountain as much as we do.
Pleased to Report
In our first five years of operation, FoBM is pleased to have chalked up some important successes. We worked with student volunteers to build several kilometres of gravel trails. We engaged in numerous conservation projects to count, monitor and protect natural species. We advocated for the protection of the grassland habitats from ranching activities. And, through our organized hikes and other outreach work, we introduced countless people to the marvels of the park.
Volunteer opportunity!
You're most welcome!
If you’re looking for fresh air and pandemic-safe exercise, then look no farther! Starting in April (or earlier if the ground is thawed) we will be signing up volunteers to help maintain our wonderful and popular Black Mountain trails. We'll be forming Covid-safe work parties to clean the trails, remove weeds, cut back the grasses from the edges, and reshape the trails as appropriate.
Join FoBM on this site and stay tuned for more details!
With spring just around the corner, it's time to plan a visit to the Black Mountain Regional Park. The newly expanded park is slated for official opening later this year, and we at FoBM are excited to show off the growing network of trails taking shape throughout the park. While several of the trails are reserved exclusively for hikers and walkers, others will also be shared by mountain bikers and horseback riders.
But please follow all the rules at all times: Dogs must always be on leash; please remove all dog waste, and absolutely no motorized vehicles are allowed.
Click here to view an updated trail map.
Rest your weary bones
Using funds raised from the local community, FoBM recently purchased two park benches through the RDCO. These will be installed in spring at Black Mountain locations carefully selected to invite hikers to rest their legs, gaze across the miles, and contemplate the splendour of this unique ecosystem.
Great gateways!
In 2020, RDCO obtained additional federal and provincial funding that is earmarked for the development of two proper park entrances. The rough parking area at Swainson and Treetop Roads will be paved and the current informal access point off Joe Rich Road will also be turned into a formal entrance.
FoBM is helping to create informational and interpretive signage to promote the responsible use of the park. Note that the park can no longer be accessed from Pyman Road, due to the sale of that land to a fruit-growing concern.
Website refresh
If you've visited our website before, you might notice we've given it a bit of a facelift for spring. We've kept all of our great past content (thank you, Carol M.!), and then some! So take a look around, and drop us a line if you have any comments. Better yet, visit our our membership page and help us protect the park for generations to come!