Submitted by Robert Green
It has been a year since we wrote the news of the Ponoka Fish and Game Association so we will now catch you up on what has been going on.
Last year we ran all of our usual events including our children’s camp in July with 30 kids. Everyone had a great time and learning experience they will remember for a long time. I see people we had in kid’s camp years before and they always ask if we still have camps. That tells me they had a good time and made a lot of memories.
We held our Rifleman’s Rodeo on the Labour Day weekend, and the horn measuring in December. We finished the year with 598 members.
We started 2013 with our annual banquet in February. More than 300 people enjoyed the great food and fun events for the night. We will be running all of our events as usual this year. Trap shooting and archery will start as soon as the snow melts. All events are listed on our calendars so when you buy your membership you will get one of the calendars.
We had representatives at the recent Alberta Fish and Game Conference (AFGA). Here are a few of the things we learned: A transmission line for electricity takes as much space to build as a four-lane highway. There are more proposed lines than the one we are dealing with through our part of the province. How many acres of habitat are we going to lose with the others that are going to be built?
There are 65 species of fish in Alberta and several are in danger because of loss of habitat. Artic Grayling is one such fish because of the loss of riparian area along the banks of the streams.
The Alberta Fish and Game Association is the oldest conservation organization in Alberta. The AFGA now has 40,000 acres of wildlife habitat property that has been purchased and donated to the AFGA All the local clubs have donated a lot of money over the years to help with this project. Many people have donated some land they want to see preserved for the future generations. Lots of industries have worked with the organization to purchase parcels of land. The clubs donated $98,358 dollars toward the next land purchase in 2013.
Anyone who would like to help out in this endeavor for the future generations, can contact the Alberta Fish and Game Association at www.afga.org.