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.
Conservationist gifts treasured private island to protect Salish Sea’s rich biodiversity
The privately owned Link Island, a biodiversity jewel in the Salish Sea, has been gifted to protect and shelter some of B.C.'s rarest species and ecosystems.
Feds launch licence buyback plan to scale down B.C.’s salmon fishing fleet
Fish harvesters are "deeply disappointed" after DFO released the details of its commercial licence buyback plan to protect plummeting Pacific salmon stocks Wednesday.
Has B.C. turned a new leaf around protecting biodiversity?
B.C. Premier David Eby’s new vow to conserve 30 per cent of the province's land base needs to be tied to legislation, strong protections and partnerships and cash for Indigenous stewardship, conservationists say.
Endangered salmon are left to flounder as Canada hosts COP15
Ottawa has “abandoned” endangered salmon and steelhead trout despite its biodiversity promises, a coalition of B.C. environmental groups allege.
New federal funding buoys First Nations' efforts to protect Great Bear Sea
Coastal First Nations striving to protect to B.C.’s Great Bear Sea got a boost after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $800 million in funding for Indigenous-led conservation projects on Wednesday.
The race to spy Canada’s whales from space
Canadian scientists are launching efforts to use satellites as benevolent eyes in the sky to monitor whales and other at-risk ocean creatures and keep them safe.
‘It takes a lot of courage to be a whistleblower’
Concerns over questionable RCMP tactics raised by an officer involved in the crackdown at the Fairy Creek old-growth blockades in the summer of 2021 are not surprising, says a lawyer representing dozens of activists.
‘I did not want to be involved’: Police officer quits task force over concerns about RCMP tactics at Fairy Creek
A member of the RCMP’s controversial Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG) resigned from the unit over concerns about “unjustifiable” police behaviour during a crackdown on Fairy Creek old-growth activists, a freedom-of-information request shows.
Businesses ally with environmental groups to push B.C. to protect biodiversity
As many as 250 businesses are backing a resolution urging B.C.’s new Premier David Eby to stave off the extinction and climate crisis by backing the federal government’s 30x30 promise — to protect 30 per cent of the country’s land and waters by 2030.
Wild salmon conservationists celebrate new victories
Open net-pen fish farming on the Pacific coast took a one-two punch after operations closures were announced in both B.C. and Washington state this week.