Born out of the devastation of Hurricane Agnes in June 1972, the local chapter of Trout Unlimited will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with a new milestone as it unveils its Linn Run Watershed Coldwater Conservation Plan.

The Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited, which was created in May 1973 following the hurricane’s devastation of Loyalhanna Creek, will observe its golden jubilee with a banquet March 18.

The storm scoured the stream bed of aquatic life, and the channel was widened considerably as stream banks were eroded.

“Instead of improving the Loyalhanna, we were in a battle to save it,” said Monty Murty, a former president of the Forbes Trail Chapter.

Working in cooperation with the Loyalhanna Watershed Association, there was a push to zone flood plains, and acquire land rights to eliminate future development.

By 1977 the banks were stabilized and the stream bed was deepened, said Larry Myers, president of the the local chapter. The group was awarded the organization’s most prestigious award, the Trout Unlimited Golden Trout Award, Murty said.

Tickets for the event at Ferrante’s Lakeview along Route 30 in Hempfield are $35 and can be obtained by contacting Forbes Trail Unlimited, P.O. Box 370, Youngstown, Pa. 15696. Checks are to be made payable to Forbes Trail Unlimited.

There will be a presentation by Alan Stansbury of Carlisle, who knew the chapter founders and their work in restoring Loyalhanna Creek, raffle prizes — including high-end fly rods, coolers, local fishing trips, a wood-carved art piece and wine baskets — and a $500 cash prize.

Meanwhile, the draft report of the coldwater conservation plan is being reviewed and will be unveiled in a public meeting at 6 p.m. March 30 at Powdermill Nature Reserve visitor’s center, 1847 Route 381 Road, Cook Township.

The document will identify and prioritize problem areas in the watershed and suggest solutions, Myers said. The organization hopes to be able to use the plan to obtain grants for future conservation projects.

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