The Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island is an exciting project with 15 years of dreaming behind it – soon to take its next step. For over a decade, the seeds of this project have been growing, connecting local youth through initiatives to see it take root. The dream is to have five significant, protected parcels of land entrusted to the next generation of Cortes, with three to be placed in the carbon offset program.

Four of the board members involved in this project are alumni of the Linnaea School and grew up exploring these forests. In an interview, one particular alumnus shared how children are introduced to responsibility through early interactions with the land – “it develops a sense of place and belonging…and orients us in generational stories.” So, as a seed, each nature-based educational program hosted on this land has the potential to grow into greater care and stewardship.

Adjacent to the Carrington Bay Regional Park Reserve, on the northwest side of the lagoon, are the five dedicated parcels for the Children’s Forest. These parcels were chosen with a purpose, the very special mission to save what could be lost. The forest inhabiting this land is a treasured entity, nurturing both old-growth and mature second-growth trees. With sparse old-growth forests remaining on Cortes, it remains a haven for several species at risk. One such species is the marbled murrelet, a seabird that nests exclusively in the mossy branches of old-growth trees.

Currently owned by Mosaic Forest Management, these trees are at risk of being lost. However, so far, two of the five parcels have been secured by a purchase agreement, with a sale deadline of December 19, 2025. Awaiting a contribution from a conservation partner for 50% of the total land cost, the Children’s Forest Trust is now accepting pledges to make the rest of the sale possible.
What about the other three parcels? Luckily, they will be protected by a carbon tax credit that prevents Mosaic from logging there for the next twenty-five years, giving time for more funds to be collected and a community to be built.

Every month, folks of all ages are invited on a guided forest walk through the Children’s Forest to experience the land and get a taste of what’s to come. They also host “bio-blitz” and “myco-blitz” events: using iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/) to identify the local mushroom, plant, and animal species and create a database of what’s present in these forests over time. Along with these citizen science initiatives, the hope is to conduct long-term scientific research here. Residing on such fertile grounds, the possibilities for what can be taught, learned, and passed on through the Children’s Forest have the power to be future-changing.

Go check out www.corteschildrensforesttrust.org for more information or to make a pledge!

Written by Zaeya Winter, summer host at the Cortes Island Museum
(the text also appeared in the Museum's blog, https://cortesmuseum.com/blog/the-beauty-of-the-childrens-forest/ )

Photo credits
Top photo: Christine Robinson, Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island
Marble Murrelets: Christian Gronau and Gary Fast, Cortes Island