Residents and nature enthusiasts are invited to join a guided field trip tomorrow led by the Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA), exploring the Cochrane North area to highlight its natural features and potential environmental threats.
Tako Koning, a senior geologist with the Alberta Palaeontological Society, will lead the Saturday, Sept. 13 field trip and says drop-ins are welcome.
Participants will meet in the parking lot of the Cochrane Ranche Historic Site at 9 a.m.
The tour will include a drive past the site of a proposed Alberta government-approved gravel mine near Big Hill Springs Provincial Park. Though the park covers just 70 acres, it is highly valued for its year-round thermal springs, which flow even in winter.
"We are concerned that nearby mega-gravel mines could damage the subsurface water migration paths which deliver the water into the springs," said Koning. "Once damaged, the damage is irreparable; it’s not something you can just go ahead and fix."
The field trip also aims to promote the idea of expanding the provincial park to better protect the area for future generations.
A similar field trip was held in June.