Rochelle Baker
Journalist | Quadra Island |
English
About Rochelle Baker
Rochelle Baker is the Quadra and Cortes Islands reporter for Canada's National Observer, 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 10 years.
Prince Rupert port set to ban cruise ships from dumping contaminated wastewater
Ottawa has to stop letting local port authorities do the heavy lifting in preventing cruise ships from dumping billions of litres of corrosive wastewater along the B.C. coast, environmentalists say.
Why do oceans matter for climate change?
Oceans are overlooked despite their outsized role in buffering the effects of global warming. We dive into how the planet — and Canada — needs to step up to prevent climate and biodiversity collapse.
Who gets to fish for B.C. salmon in the future?
It's not clear who are the winners and losers in the future of the commercial salmon fishery as Ottawa transforms an industry once the backbone of the coast. But trends suggest those with the deepest pockets will come out on top, industry experts say.
Humpback whales are riding a crosscurrent of hope and concern
A record number of humpbacks were documented in 2022. But as the resident whales' population grows on West Coast, so do the dangers to the species of special concern.
From fish to forests, how 2022 played out on Canada’s West Coast
First Nations, forests and fish-related news surfaced as top issues from CNO’s Island Insider beat and will likely dominate headlines in 2023 as well.
Slugs and bugs are worth saving, too
Folks may find slimy, slithery, creepy creatures repulsive, but reptiles, insects, and mollusks make up nearly a third of Canada’s species at risk and need their fair share of the conservation spotlight.
It’s not Christmas on B.C.’s rugged coast without a visit from the Goose
“I love those planes because to me, the sound of those engines is the sound of going home," says Bella Bella resident Josh Carpenter about flying on the historic Grumman Goose to his remote coastal community for the holidays.
Make your Christmas sweater less ugly for the environment
Simple things like washing festive plastic knitwear on the gentle cycle can reduce microfibre shedding by 70 per cent and better protect marine ecosystems, a recent Ocean Wise study shows.
Visions of a plastic-free Christmas
Ottawa's ban on a handful of single-use plastic items is cause for celebration, but bigger changes are required from government and consumers to stem plastic waste, especially at Christmas, a pollution expert says.
B.C. researchers aim to clear up acoustic smog impacting endangered killer whales
The noise from ships’ propellers can hit 170 decibels, the equivalent of a jet engine or a rocket liftoff, drowning out marine mammals' ability to safely navigate their ocean environment.