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“Piece of paradise” purchased by ACA near Caroline to help preserve trout habitat

Alberta Conservation Association buys 153-acres along Raven River
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A fly fisher on the Raven River. The Alberta Conservation Association purchased more land near Caroline to help protect the brown trout fishery. (Contributed photo).

A “gorgeous” 153-acre property near Caroline was purchased by the Alberta Conservation Association to help protect brown trout in the Raven River.

With a diversity of habitats — from shoreline vegetation that supports insects and fish to uplands that host deer and bird populations — the forested land is “a piece of paradise” the ACA jumped at acquiring, said Darren Dorge, land management manager for the association.

“It’s a gorgeous little property that will now remain that way in perpetuity — forever,” he added.

Previous owner, Edmontonian Tom Porter, had approached the ACA about preserving the site in its natural state for future generations. Dorge explained, “He wanted it to stay intact, the way he remembers it.”

The ACA was able to purchase The Porter Conservation Site last month at a lowered cost of about half a million dollars. The association had help from many partners, including the Alberta Fish and Game Association, Trout Unlimited — Central Alberta Chapter, Northern Lights Fly Fishers, Edmonton Trout Fishing Club, Red Deer River Naturalists, Environment Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program, and 108 individual donors.

Dorge is pleased so many benefactors could come together with a common conservation goal: “It’s always a thrill to find out others care just as much as we do.”

The property purchase is particularly important because the new land connects to the ACA’s previously acquired Drake Conservation Site. Together, the properties offer more than 300 acres of unbroken old-growth forest and thriving habitat.

Dorge noted Alberta’s linked series of publicly accessible brown trout streams is already known internationally as a world-class fishing destination. One of the reasons is the good water quality in the North Raven and Raven Rivers.

The ACA has spent years consulting with 23 area landowners to have 48 km of fencing put up along the river to keep cows and other livestock from trampling the riverbanks. “We work with them to do off-stream watering (pumping river water into a trough for animal use) and fencing,” said Dorge.

The new Porter Conservation Site, 12 km east of Caroline off Hwy 54, is open to the public for hiking and catch-and-release fishing. More information can be found at www.ab-conservation.com.



lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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