The Okanagan Forest Task Force was formed in August, 2016 by a group of outdoor enthusiasts who were concerned over the growing epidemic of illegal dumping in our forests, recreational areas and along natural waterways.
Our first official clean-up occurred on September 10, 2016 at a popular shooting range along Postill Lake Rd in Kelowna, BC. That first effort resulted in the removal of more than 3 metric tonnes of garbage by a group of 15 volunteers.
The support and growth of OFTF since that first official clean-up effort has been more than any of us could have hoped for, in our first four months of existence we managed to remove 26,488 pounds of garbage and pulled out 25,480 pounds of scrap metal from only four locations surrounding the City of Kelowna. That was an amazing 51,928 pounds of waste that was illegally dumped in the forests around our city. By the end of 2022, in only 6 years through the exceptional efforts of our volunteers we had removed a combined weight of over 600,000 pounds of garbage and metal from the forests. Unfortunately, that is only the tip of the iceberg in cleaning up a problem that has become a concern of disturbing proportions in natural areas around British Columbia.
OFTF was registered as a Not for Profit Society in October, 2016. With the continued support of our volunteers, community and sponsors, it is our mission to continue the fight against illegal dumping. Our objective is restoring our forests, recreational areas, waterways, and environment to it’s pristine, natural state.
Our future, the future of our land, as well as that of our wildlife, depend on our efforts and our stewardship.