Carden Plains near Dalrymple

These pictures were taken on the Carden Plaines just off highway 6 near Dalrymple. Carden and Digby Townships are named after two English captains around 1836. Carden is a rectangular municipality, ten concessions from west to east and twenty-five lots from north to south. It lies near the edge of the granite country and therefore has thin soil and frequent out-croppings of limestone. A large area in the centre of the township consists of tamarack and balsam plains unbroken by any road or trail. The chief settlements have been in the northwest and southeast corners of the township. Today the area is classified as an alvar, a biological environment based on a limestone plains with thin or no soil and, as a result, sparse grassland vegetation. Often flooded in the spring, and affected by drought in midsummer, alvars support a distinctive group of prairie-like plants. The property is know for its birding. Cattle ranching is still carried on today. This stressed habitat supports a community of rare plants and animals, including species more commonly found on praire type grasslands. Lichen and mosses are common species. Trees and bushes are absent or severely stunted. The primary cause of alvars is the shallow exposed bedrock. Flooding and drought, as noted, add to the stress of the site and prevent many species from growing. Disturbance may also play a role. The remains of the old farm are long gone and only a bare area remains, The pump appears to have all the working parts and the large trough for cattle. While no date could be found the pump was manufactured in Canada; Across the road is a large cattle stockade with multiple holdings. This is private property but very visible from the road and from walking trails.