Dr. Mark Butorac

HIST 3991: Environmental History

Capri Holm

October 19, 2025

Introduction

My husband and I relocated to Summerland, BC, to be closer to his work and reduce our commute. We never imagined the historical importance this small town in the Okanagan would hold. In this exercise, I will begin by discussing Summerland’s history during the pre-settlement era and then explore the specific historical significance of the area adjacent to us after settlement.

Pre-contact use and the settlement

Summerland was originally inhabited by the Syilx people of the Okanagan, whose traditional territory covered nearly 70,000 square kilometres (Unceded Land, 2019). It was reported that these Indigenous groups had very little contact with Europeans, except when involved in the fur trade, until gold was discovered in the Fraser Canyon in the mid-1800s, which drastically changed the situation (Unceded Land, 2019). Within just four years, oral agreements were established to allow Indigenous peoples to keep a portion of their land, known as an “informal reserve” (Unceded Land, 2019, para. 2). It was noted that the “goal was to make land available for First Nations people to support themselves and to open the rest of the land to settlement by both settlers and First Nations” (Unceded Land, 2019, para.2). The boundaries kept expanding, pushing on Indigenous lands until, in 1889, without the knowledge of the current landowners, the land was opened for permanent settlement (Unceded Land, 2019).

There is limited information on the pre-settlement agriculture in Summerland that I could find; however, after settlement, there was a significant amount of agricultural development. Initially, Summerland was quite challenging for crop cultivation, especially for fruit trees, which required some engineering efforts from early settlers to figure out how to produce and sell fruit more efficiently and in larger quantities (Summerland, 2021). After considerable labour, including establishing an irrigation system, the first crop planted was beans, which eventually expanded into more varieties of sustainable food until fruit production was confidently achieved (Summerland, 2021). The grassland ecosystem was once listed as “one of the four most endangered ecosystems in our country” (Marks).

Invasive species introduced through European settlement were first identified in Summerland, including Bromus tectorum and Cirsium arvense, which are still prevalent today (Lea 6). Cheatgrass is another name for Bromus tectorum, and interestingly, it has been noted to more “readily spread fire (Lea 7), which is of rising concern for the Okanagan, which has experienced many major wildfires in recent years threatening structures and livelihoods. Even more interesting, a recent study showed that less than 40% of the original ecosystem remains from before settlement, especially in lower elevation areas, which Lea notes are associated with regions where less than 10% of the original ecosystem persists (26). Lea also mentioned that there is some evidence suggesting wetlands in the Okanagan and Summerland were developed for agricultural purposes in the early 1900s (28). This was quite startling to read, as Summerland, at least as I have seen it, has been described as “desert grasslands… home to sagebrush, cacti, rattlesnakes, and groves of ponderosa pine trees” (Marks).

For wildlife, there is very limited data before settlement, but notable animals that can be spotted now include bats, coyotes, sheep, badgers, squirrels, deer, various birds such as herons and cranes, many owls, woodpeckers, sparrows, and more (Habitat Atlas for Wildlife at Risk Species Profiles). The area hosts a wide variety of wildlife, which can be observed daily whether commuting or relaxing on the deck with coffee.

Urban Development

Development in Summerland is constant, similar to other areas after European settlement. The town is charming, with a population of 12,000 according to the 2021 census (Statistics Canada), and is expected to grow to about 14,000 by 2041. It offers amenities such as two grocery stores, a pharmacy, elementary, middle, and high schools, along with a few restaurants and some non-essential goods stores. There is a small clinic with limited hours, five bus stops, a fire hall, ambulance station, and police detachment. The town is only 15 minutes by car from Penticton, which has many more amenities, including large chain grocery stores, and construction and maintenance outlets.

Some of the initiatives that Summerland has undertaken to ensure sustainability include only doing garbage and recycling on alternating weeks and implementing a weekly composting service to reduce food waste in the garbage. Additionally, they plan to lower emissions by installing more charging stations within the central strip to encourage greater electric vehicle use (Commitments to Climate Action). They are currently members of the Community Energy Association and have a long-standing history of celebrating Earth Days, such as in 2007 when they “coordinated a community tree-planting event” (Commitments to Climate Action), and have attempted similar activities annually.

Works Cited 

Unceded Land. (2019). Summerland Museum and Archives. https://www.summerlandmuseum.org/unceded-land

Summerland (2021). A magical place to live or visit. On this spot history app. https://onthisspot.ca/places/summerland

‌Lea, Ted.(n.d) “Historical (Pre-Settlement) Ecosystems of the Okanagan Valley and Lower Similkameen Valley of British Columbia – Pre-European Contact to the Present.” Davidsonia, pp. 3–35, a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/acat/documents/r52470/Lea,T.Historical(pre-settlement)EcosystemsoftheOk_1497897392061_7896636654.pdf.

‌Marks, Lindy. (n.d.) “Story of the South Okanagan.” Driving from Peachland to Osoyoos. https://onthisspot.ca/regional/southokanagan/southokanagan

Habitat Atlas for Wildlife at Risk Species Profiles. (1998). Ministry of Environment, Okanagan Region. https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/okanagan/esd/atlas/profiles.html

Statistics Canada. (2021) Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population. Summerland, District municipality. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/as-sa/fogs-spg/page.cfm?lang=E&topic=1&dguid=2021A00055907035

“Commitments to Climate Action.” (2024) Summerland.ca, 2024, www.summerland.ca/your-city-hall/climate-action/commitments-to-climate-action.