Tag Archives: John Preston

Forests

Suzanne Simard speaks at the 2023 Cortes Community Forest AGM

The Mother Tree Project began in one Lower Mainland and nine Interior forests. They recently expanded their research on the coast, where Dr Suzanne Simard says the forests are richest in terms of biodiversity. A team came to Cortes Island at the invitation of the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative, and students from the Cortes Island Academy will be taking part in a research propject later this year. Dr Simard described the Mother Tree Project’s work on Cortes, and responded to questions, at the Community Forest’s 2023 AGM.

This is an abridged transcript taken from the ZOOM audio. 

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Environment, Water

Cortes Island’s impending water shortage

Cortes Island is experiencing a wetter than normal Spring this year, but some of Cortes Island’s shallow well owners experience water shortages every summer. Scientists appear to agree that there will be more severe shortages in the future. 

This is a global phenomenon and there appear to be many causes: the depletion of forest coverage, growth of human infrastructure, natural drought cycles and, on top of all that, the transition to a warmer global temperature.

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Water

In a level four drought, what lies ahead?

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CKTZ News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Cortes Island is in the midst of a level four drought. 

There have been worse dry periods in the instrumental records, much worse according to a University of Victoria study of tree ring data, and most likely more severe droughts in the years to come.

“Summer is very typically a very dry time of year for the Island, as well as for the Gulf Islands. The problem is that because we didn’t get the Spring rains, we’re starting at a level that is lower than what it would be within a typical year,”  said Ashlee Jollymore, a Hydrologist with the Water Management Branch in Victoria

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Community

Black Lives Matter Rally In Campbell River

George Floyd’s needless death, at the hands of white Minneapolis police officers, sparked protests throughout North America. They have been held in most Canadian cities and many towns. A Black Lives Matter rally will be held in Campbell River’s Spirit Square at 11 AM on Saturday, June 6th, 2020.

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