Category Archives: Parks

Communications, Education, Environment, Parks

West Coast multimillionaires gift land for parks and donate remainder of their fortune to philanthropy

Editor’s note: Scientists from the Hakai Institute have played a prominent role on Cortes Island, often in partnership with local organizations like the Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI), or Cortes Island Academy. They have also been frequently interviewed by local media like Folk U, Rochelle Baker of the National Observer and Cortes Currents.

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

When multimillionaires Eric Peterson and his wife Christina Munck launched their charity foundation more than two decades ago, the couple pledged to go to their deaths flat broke.

On Wednesday, Peterson and Munck made good on that longtime vow, gifting a chunk of pristine island coastline to the BC Parks Foundation and the bulk of their remaining fortune to the Hakai Institute and the Tula Foundation, which the pair created to leverage science and technology to tackle issues for the public good.

Continue reading West Coast multimillionaires gift land for parks and donate remainder of their fortune to philanthropy →
Environment, Parks

FOCI: Maintaining Mansons Landing Provincial Park

The Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) has been helping BC Parks maintain Mansons Landing Provincial Park since 2016. 

“ We’ve been doing various improvements over time. That included removing broom from the Spit, signage to help interpret what’s down there and also fencing to prevent erosion. We’ve just finished two new sections of fencing,” explained Helen Hall, Executive Director of FOCI.

Continue reading FOCI: Maintaining Mansons Landing Provincial Park →
Indigenous Nations, Parks

Canada takes steps to rectify land grab for Pacific Rim park with coastal First Nation

Editor’s note: Given the vast amount of land taken from First Nations without their consent and the amount of this that is now designated parkland, this article points to a trend we may see more of in the years going forward. There are three provincial parks (Mansons Landing, Smelt Bay and Von Donop) and a variety of Regional Parks (Blind Creek Boat Launch, Carrington Bay Park, Cortes Skate Park, Hank’s Beach Forest Conservation Park, Hayes Park, Gnat Park, Kw’as Park, Moon Park, Seascape Park, Siskin Forest Park, Siskin Forest Trails, Whaletown Commons) on Cortes Island.

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The federal government and the Pacheedaht First Nation celebrated an agreement Wednesday to return stewardship control over territory taken without permission to create B.C.’s world-renowned Pacific Rim National Park. 

Continue reading Canada takes steps to rectify land grab for Pacific Rim park with coastal First Nation →
Community, Parks

Opening of the Rainbow Ridge Trail System

1 Comment

Close to 200 people gathered in the Village Commons, in Mansons Landing, to celebrate the opening of the new Rainbow Ridge Trail System. There were 177 ticket stubs for the door prize and some people wandered in after that. As it was a hot summer’s day, most of them clung to shade beneath trees, awnings and the main tent. 

Rose and Brenda Hanson, from the Klahoose First Nation, opened the ceremony.

Continue reading Opening of the Rainbow Ridge Trail System →
Forests, Parks, Rivers & Oceans

Peeking into the world of the Quadra Island Outdoor Club

The Quadra Island Outdoor Club made 6 trips this month, and 3 of them were off-island. They came to Carrington Bay and Grandmother’s Grove on Cortes Island, kayaked on the Sayward canoe circuit and visited the petroglyphs on Maud Island. Closer to home, they’ve walked Hyacinthe Bay at low tide, paddled around Gowlland Harbour to see the wild flowers and took part in a beach clean-up.    

Continue reading Peeking into the world of the Quadra Island Outdoor Club →