Laurie Guichon Memorial Grasslands Interpretive Site

Background

The Laurie Guichon Memorial Grasslands Interpretive Site is an initiative that was developed by the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table to educate the public about the significance of grasslands. The site opened in 2001 and is located approximately 11 km east of Merritt, British Columbia on 102 ha of Provincial Crown land.

The site was named in honour of Laurie Guichon (October 15 1944 – July 19 1999), a fourth-generation rancher in the Nicola Valley and founding member of the NWCRT. Laurie was enthusiastic about creating a grasslands interpretive site and the site was part of his vision to bring people together to share knowledge and responsibility for the land.

CLICK HERE to read the LGMGIS Baseline Inventory

Vision

The vision for this site is to demonstrate stewardship that integrates multiple values to achieve healthy grasslands.

The objectives are to:

1. Educate both local residents and visitors about the significance of the social, economic, and ecological values of the Southern Interior grasslands.
2. Engage and build relationships with multiple users.
3. Promote sound stewardship practices that incorporate grass, water, wildlife, micro-organisms, forests, and human activity.
4. Support research that informs stewardship practices.

Supporters

Thank you for the support from our project partners, the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table, Thompson Rivers University, and the Ministry of Forests Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development as well as from our generous project funder for 2018, the British Columbia Conservation Foundation.