Tag Archives: FOCI

Parks, Rivers & Oceans, Transportation

BC Parks flags boats on the beach at Mansons Landing

According to Lisa Ferentinos, people were leaving their small boats along the beach in Mansons Landing Provincial Park before there was a park.  

“I can’t imagine there’s ever been a time when people weren’t putting their boats on that beach. It’s been generations, and I can only assume pre-European contact there were many boats on that beach. I know, since the settlers have been here, it’s been a very popular beach for many people,” she said. 

Suddenly on Monday, October 17, a red sticker was put on every boat along the beach.

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Cost of Climate Change, Weather

FOCI’s Climate Change and Drought Report

When the rain finally started about 5 PM on Sunday, October 23, Cortes Island had received almost no precipitation for 97 days. The “Rain’ chart at Cortes Island School shows that 3.5 mm of rain fell overnight and I can hear the drizzle continuing to fall on my roof early Monday morning. Hopefully light rains will continue to soften up the soil before we receive a downpour.

“The 2022 drought is worse than people think, it’s worse than scientists predicted, and its impacts up and down the coast are a lot worse than I had even feared when I started researching it,” said Forrest Berman-Hatch, author of FOCI Report: Climate Change and Drought.

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Environment, History

Carol Tidler: When FOCI moved into Mansons

Carol Tidler served on the Friends of Cortes Island Board (FOCI) during some of the society’s formative years. She was not one of the founding members, but joined FOCI when it was still meeting in people’s homes and hauling its records around in boxes.

“Then Hubert Havelaar built an office space and it was moved to downtown Manson’s Landing where it put us right there in the public eye. People began to really want to see what we were up to,” she explained. 

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Rivers & Oceans

Perceived Biodiversity loss in Mansons Lagoon

Around 30 people trekked around the Spit into Mansons Lagoon, during the July 12 ‘Gumbooting the Lagoon.’ While Jane Newman, from the Cortes Island Museum, explained the site’s human history, marine biologist Deb Cowper and FOCI’s Autumn Barrett-Morgan introduced everyone to intertidal life forms. One of the many topics that arose was the loss of marine life.  

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Tourism

Summer offerings from FOCI

The Friends of Cortes (FOCI) have just released their summer program of daily offerings for 2022. 

“It’s about educating people about the natural environment, but also really having people getting out there, having fun and enjoying themselves. So whether it’s locals or visitors, we’re really pleased to welcome anyone  who wants to come along,” explained Helen Hall, Executive Director of FOCI.

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