Fonds consists of records of Friends of Cortes Island Society and includes meeting minutes, administrative documents, correspondence, notes, and publications created by FOCI between 1996 and 2001. It comprises 15 files arranged into 9 series; original order has been maintained.
Friends of Cortes Island Society, also known as FOCI, registered as a society in 1990, with the mandate of protecting the physical environment of Cortes Island and adjacent land in the context of ongoing and proposed residential and industrial development.
FOCI "exists to monitor and preserve the health of local ecosystems, and to provide educational programs that foster a greater understanding of the natural environment". Their purposes are as follows:
To identify environmentally sensitive areas, particularly on Cortes and neighbouring islands.
To monitor and protect wildlife and the safeguarding of its natural habitat.
To promote the protection of the forests, lakes, streams and critical watersheds and the enhancement of fish stocks where appropriate.
To promote the study and preservation of the cultural heritage and historical landmarks of the area.
To provide educational programs that relate to ecological understanding and appreciation of the environment.
FOCI has worked with many local and provincial organisations, most notably Cortes Ecoforestry Society (CES). Other colleagues include Linnaea Farm Society, Southern Cortes Community Association, Whaletown Community Club, BC Parks, Environmental Youth Team, the Cortes Island Museum & Archives Association, and EcoAction Community Funding Program.
Custodial History
Records were donated by Sarah Downey, on behalf of FOCI, on 27 August 2013.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records of Friends of Cortes Island Society and includes meeting minutes, administrative documents, correspondence, notes, and publications created by FOCI between 1996 and 2001. It comprises 15 files arranged into 9 series; original order has been maintained.
Series consists of files pertaining to the relationship between FOCI and CES, including collaboration and mutual aid. See Series 1 of this fonds for documents pertaining to the E-Team Work Crew grant awarded to FOCI and CES.
Series consists of files pertaining to the relationship between FOCI and CES, including collaboration and mutual aid. See Series 1 of this fonds for documents pertaining to the E-Team Work Crew grant awarded to FOCI and CES.
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
.6 m of textual records (2 boxes)
29 photographs : col.
Extent
0.6
History / Biographical
The Cortes Ecoforestry Society (CES) was incorporated in March 1999, under the following mission statement:
"To work in partnership with the Klahoose First Nation, to gain community stewardship of the working forest lands on Cortes to create perpetual ecological and economic benefits for the entire community, and to serve as a model for sustainable ecoforestry."
Preceding names for the organization include Cortes Island Forestry Committee (ca. 1988-1990), Cortes Island Forest Resource Committee (c. 1990) and Cortes Island Forest Committee (ca. 1991-1999). A draft document from October 1991 states that,
"[T]he Cortes Island Forest Committee (CIFC) was formed in 1988. The purposes of the CIFC are to develop ecologically responsible and balanced forest use of Cortes Island forests, to develop a sustainable forest-based economy, to educate ourselves and the public regarding appropriate use of Cortes Island forests, and to work towards a broad based public consensus for the use of these forests."
In July 1999 Klahoose First Nation and CES signed an unprecedented Memorandum of Understanding, stating that the two parties would work together to create a community forest that used eco-system forestry. In 1999 and 2000 the Cortes Ecoforestry Society began planning and preparing a community forest proposal. In 2003, volume was made available for small community tenures, including Woodlot Licences and Community Forest Agreements (CFAs). Klahoose supported the efforts to revitalize the community forest proposal and a small, voluntary advisory group was formed (Bruce Ellingsen, Chief Kathy Francis, Liz Richardson and Ron Wolda). To ensure the proposal was seen to be inclusive of all islanders, the proponent name was changed to the Cortes Island Community Forest advisory group. The community forest proposal stalled, and CES, which at one point had a membership of 400 residents supporting their goals, became less active.
In May of 2011, the Cortes Community Forest Advisory Group was invited to apply for a Community Forest Agreement (CFA) by the Minister of Forests, and in September 2013 the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations issued a Community Forest Agreement to the Cortes Forestry General Partnership, which was established on June 2012.
The Cortes Forestry General Partnership is managed and governed equally by two partners, the Klahoose Forestry No. 2 Limited Partnership (KF2LP) and the Cortes Community Forest Co-operative. The tenure agreement lasts for 25 years and encompasses 3,869 hectares of crown land, about 35% of the island. The Klahoose Nation holds ancestral tenure over Cortes Island. They are currently at stage 4 in the process of negotiating a treaty agreement with the province of British Columbia and Canadian government.
Custodial History
Donated to CIMAS on Dec. 16, 2017 by David Shipway.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
File contains a photocopy image of the Peter Police homestead at Carrington Lagoon, handwritten stories by Bud Dewar, an article about Ned Breeze, a photocopy of Gary and Velma Bergman at the Whaletown store, and a list of Seaford School.
File contains a photocopy image of the Peter Police homestead at Carrington Lagoon, handwritten stories by Bud Dewar, an article about Ned Breeze, a photocopy of Gary and Velma Bergman at the Whaletown store, and a list of Seaford School.
File contains newspaper clippings about a visit of the Whaletown School class to Vancouver; a "Whaletown Round-Up" column written by Gilean Douglas, 1956; a photocopy of an article about the purchase of Smelt Bay Park, 1973; and a craft store in Whaletown, 1975.
File contains newspaper clippings about a visit of the Whaletown School class to Vancouver; a "Whaletown Round-Up" column written by Gilean Douglas, 1956; a photocopy of an article about the purchase of Smelt Bay Park, 1973; and a craft store in Whaletown, 1975.
Series consists of newsletters and a directory, published by Sedley Sweeny to work towards "cooperation between like-minded people aimed at local self-sufficiency."
Series consists of newsletters and a directory, published by Sedley Sweeny to work towards "cooperation between like-minded people aimed at local self-sufficiency."
File contains a cerlox-bound proposal to acquire MacMillan Bloedel lands on Cortes Island, with supporting documents from Klahoose First Nation and The Land Conservancy of BC.
File contains a cerlox-bound proposal to acquire MacMillan Bloedel lands on Cortes Island, with supporting documents from Klahoose First Nation and The Land Conservancy of BC.
