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.

150 Articles

Moderna vaccine brings relief to remote First Nation that battled COVID-19 cluster

Island Health and the First Nations Health Authority informed Klahoose First Nation, which has 90 members, that it would likely receive Moderna vaccines by the first week of January.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | January 4th 2021

Sacred Journey: An artistic look at the Pacific Northwest’s canoe culture

KC Hall, known for his synthesis of graffiti, manga and Northwest Coast art, is finishing up a central piece for the Sacred Journey travelling exhibition, slated to launch in Campbell River this spring.

By Rochelle Baker | Features, Culture, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | December 31st 2020

Fisheries minister facing flak over Discovery Islands fish farm decision

A coalition of Vancouver Island mayors and industry stakeholders say Ottawa's decision to phase out Discovery Islands fish farms puts 1,500 jobs at risk.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Politics, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | December 30th 2020

New conservancy plan aims to create research greenbelt

Open Bay Society, a non-profit wilderness conservancy and research centre based on Quadra, is negotiating with Mosaic Forest Management to buy timber harvesting rights for 7,000 acres of forest.

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

Environmental ripple effect of Bute Inlet landslide starting to unfold, scientists say

Climate change set the stage for the landslide that occurred on the morning of Nov. 28, said Brent Ward, a geologist at Simon Fraser University.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | December 22nd 2020

Wild salmon advocates celebrate Discovery Island fish farms decision

Fish farm opponents on the West Coast are jubilant after Ottawa’s announcement Thursday that operations in the Discovery Islands are being phased out over the next 18 months.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | December 21st 2020

Federal fisheries minister announces phaseout of Discovery Islands fish farms

Bernadette Jordan announced Thursday that contentious fish farms in the Discovery Islands on the West Coast will be phased out over the next 18 months.

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

Once abundant sunflower sea star now critically endangered

The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the sunflower sea star as critically endangered last week based on a population study led by Oregon State University and the Nature Conservancy in partnership with a coalition of more than 60 researchers and institutions.

State Of The Animal

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

Massive landslide in Bute Inlet wipes out wildlife habitat, poses risks to marine traffic along B.C. coast

The washout has devastated hundreds of acres of forest, severely damaging salmon spawning grounds and sweeping trees, rocks and mud into Bute Inlet.

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | December 15th 2020

Remote First Nation's swift action puts halt to COVID-19 outbreak

The next two weeks are critical in protecting the gains the Klahoose Nation on Cortes Island made in getting a COVID-19 cluster under control, says Chief Kevin Peacey.

Coronavirus in Canada

By Rochelle Baker | News, Quadra and Cortes Island, B.C. | December 15th 2020