Rochelle Baker

Reporter Quadra + Cortes, B.C.

Rochelle Baker joins Canada's National Observer as a reporter, thanks to a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada. Rochelle has worked as a newspaper reporter and photographer in BC's Lower Mainland for over 7 years.

123 Articles

Migratory seabirds find safe haven in new West Coast island reserve

The new Breton Island-Whitridge Reserve is a 12.6-acre island located in the Discovery Islands archipelago that is wedged between the B.C. mainland and Vancouver Island.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 26th 2020

The key to fighting future pandemics? Old-growth forests, says mushroom guru Paul Stamets

“I think that British Columbia could go down in medical history as being a reservoir for having fungi in the old-growth forests that could prevent pandemics — now and in the future,” says mycologist Paul Stamets.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 25th 2020

Marmots make a comeback

Vancouver Island marmots may just be the antidote required for the dystopian times we are living in.

State Of The Animal

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 23rd 2020

What you should know about microplastics in shellfish

When it comes to shellfish, concerns around the consumption of microplastics are a good news, bad news story.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 19th 2020

Thundersnow and windstorm hit West Coast

Damaging winds toppled power lines and trees, leaving thousands of residents in B.C. in the dark after an intense fall storm tracked through Tuesday.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 17th 2020

Indigenous archeologist unearthing her ancestors' legacy on the land

Archeologist Christine Roberts, a member of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation on Vancouver Island, says her work gives her a profound sense of belonging and a tie to the land she works on.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 13th 2020

Seniors' advocates want national standards for care as COVID-19 surges

As COVID-19's death toll mounts again, seniors' advocates want national standards for long-term care homes and funding tied to meeting new benchmarks.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 10th 2020

Relatives and advocates worry COVID-19 second wave will shut the door on visits

The guidelines for long-term care facilities vary from province to province, said Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of national seniors' advocacy group CanAge, but the anguish families and residents are experiencing due to visitor restrictions is nationwide.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 9th 2020

Digging into the ancient clam gardens that fed coastal First Nations for millennia

First Nations cultivated clam gardens for millennia along the Pacific coast, modifying coastal beaches to create optimal habitat for the mollusks, boost production and feed their people, according to researchers.

By Rochelle Baker | Features, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 5th 2020

Island community plans to buy, preserve forest for local children

Katie Wheeler, 17, is a youth mentor for the Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island Society, a charity formed in the hopes of buying 640 acres of forest from timber companies for future generations.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | November 4th 2020