Blockade goes up over Brown's Creek

The Okanagan Indian Band has followed through with its threat to blockade the Okanagan campsite near Bouleau Lake.

A blockade went up at 7 a.m. Monday morning in what OIB says is a response to a threat made by Tolko Industries to start logging the Brown's Creek Watershed.

Officials with the OIB says the watershed supplies drinking water for most of the band's 1,800 residents.

Media and supporters have been invited to attend the blockade and park their vehicles in a designated area for free, but forestry vehicles are being charged $10 a day to park.

The money collected will go to the OIB's Save the Watershed Fund.

The dispute over the watershed is currently before the courts.

In a press release issued Sunday, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs stated his group's support in favor of the blockade.