January 29, 2022: Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island AGM

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island Society will hold its AGM
on January 29th, 2022.

It has been close to 12 years since Sabina Leader-Mense and Christine Robinson launched the initiative to purchase 600 acres from Island Timberlands forest holdings.

“The forest lands surrounding Carrington Lagoon are so important in terms of providing a wildlife corridor to the northern wilds of Cortes. It just offered itself up and we thought, ‘how could anyone resist a children's forest?’” explained Robinson.

Many people have taken up the vision since then.

Robinson specifically mentioned Chris Dragseth and Andrew Smyth, the society’s current Chair and Treasurer.

After the pandemic hit in the Spring of 2020, the Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island partnered with Desta Beattie and the Cortes Community Health Association to offer a series of weekly zoom calls with a slightly different focus each week. Children were encouraged to go out into nature, find specific natural treasures, and bring pictures to the calls. Robinson remembers the week her computer screen filled up with images of frogs and tadpoles.

After people could meet in person again, there were monthly Sunday walks through the Children’s Forest. Groups of 4 to 20 children and adults participated.

“We never quite know where we're going to go. although a favourite is always down to Grandmother Grove, where James Creek flows into Carrington Lagoon. We often have a campfire,” said Robinson.

Dragseth gave an update on how the negotiations to purchase the Children’s forest, which have been ongoing since 2013, are proceeding.

“At this point I'd characterize the meetings with Mosaic as very positive,” he said.

They have yet to agree on a price.

“We'll see where we are this time next year, but we're always hopeful that we're moving in the right direction,” said Dragseth. “Mosaic has basically confirmed that we are the people they're talking to, as it relates to the five parcels in Carrington Bay, and nobody else is in the picture.

Meanwhile the Trust has lined up some donors for when the sale finally goes through and continues to raise the funds for daily operations.

Last year, the target was $2,000.

“This year we set a target at $10,000 and we hit that and then some, so we've got money in the bank to help us do the operational stuff around negotiations,” explained Dragseth.

Robinson added, “When we first started the project, I thought maybe five years. At the outside maybe ten, but surely by the time I have grandchildren. Well, I have three grandchildren and I hope that in the next year or two, they will have the pleasure of walking through the children's forest under different owners.”

She proceeded to list upcoming events:
The Annual Christmas Bird count, in partnership with the Cortes Island Museum, on January 2nd.
The society’s AGM on January 29th.

“We expect to have a wonderful young alumni who was part of the original children's forest book and has been involved in activities over the years” said Robinson.

Kiera Tsakonas recently graduated from SFU and will be joining the Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island board as a youth spokespeople.

Dragseth said they were unable to book a guest speaker for the AGM, but are trying to organize something shortly afterwards.