Tag Archives: South Island

Education

Rewilding a school wetland is a lesson in climate resilience

Editor’s note: the Miranda Cross mentioned in this article is a Cortes Island resident and Project Manager for the Dillon Creek Wetlands Restoration project.

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Quadra Elementary’s kindergarten students tried their best to follow instructions and stay seated on tarps that were spread out on the school field in an attempt to keep them clean.

But the lucky kids near the edges of the blue plastic matting already had their hands in the dirt. 

The 60-plus children recently gathered with members of the We Wai Kai Nation, Quadra Island school and community leaders and the B.C. Wildlife Federation to celebrate their new wetland restoration project by planting a selection of native trees and shrubs. 

Continue reading Rewilding a school wetland is a lesson in climate resilience →
Transportation

BC Ferries says it’s making progress on its Clean Futures Plan

Editor’s not: Cortes Island residents may also benefit from the addition of the hybrid e-ferries, which may eliminate many, if not all, of our one ferry waits at the Quathiaski Cove terminal.

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

BC Ferries’ Clean Futures Plan calls for its fleet to do away with greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and progress is being made, according to the organization. It issued an update to the plan on October 27th.

Continue reading BC Ferries says it’s making progress on its Clean Futures Plan →
Politics

Mawhinney: Centering decisions on Island Values

“One of the core messages and core reasons that I am running for Regional Director is because I want decisions to be centered on island values. To me, island values are respect for First Nations, long term sustainability, also the rural nature that we all love. That’s why we live here. Quadra Island has a rich history of volunteerism. The role of the director is really to be an advocate for the majority of the community at the Strathcona Regional District (SRD),” said Robyn Mawhinney who hopes to be elected Regional Director of Area C (Discovery Islands and Mainland Inlets) on October 15th, 2022.

Continue reading Mawhinney: Centering decisions on Island Values →
Water

Harvesting Rainwater on Cortes and Quadra Islands 

There have been many droughts in Vancouver Island’s history. A University of Victoria study of tree ring data found that some were worse than anything in modern records, but also predicted a mega-drought is coming. This year’s wet Spring may make a difference, but there have been reports of wells running dry every summer since 2014. Consequently, increasing numbers of people throughout the Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, Quadra and Cortes Islands have turned to rainwater harvesting.

Continue reading Harvesting Rainwater on Cortes and Quadra Islands  →
Transportation

Quadra ICAN: surveying the need for ride share on Quadra, Cortes and Read Islands

Quadra ICAN is trying to gage the public support for a ride share program on Quadra, Cortes and Read Islands. 

On their website, it states “Ride sharing is essentially carpooling. A driver offers a seat in their car to other community members seeking a ride to a similar destination. It is an environmentally conscious, cost effective, ferry line reducing and community building alternative mode of transportation.”

Continue reading Quadra ICAN: surveying the need for ride share on Quadra, Cortes and Read Islands →