Trout Unlimited Inc

TO CONSERVE, PROTECT, AND RESTORE NORTH AMERICA'S COLDWATER FISHERIES AND THEIR WATERSHEDS.

CONSERVATION OPERATIONS:IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND WE COMPLETED NUMEROUS LARGE WOOD ADDITION PROJECTS TO IMPROVE INSTREAM HABITAT FOR BROOK TROUT AS PART OF A MULTI-YEAR, $1.8 MILLION PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS. LONG-TERM STUDIES FROM VERMONT HAVE SHOWN DRAMATIC INCREASES IN BROOK TROUT POPULATIONS WHERE INSTREAM HABITAT HAS BEEN ENHANCED THROUGH WOOD ADDITIONS. OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PROJECT TU WILL IMPROVE 60 MILES OF TROUT HABITAT IN MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND VERMONT.TWO YEARS AGO, TU LAUNCHED ITS NEWEST HOME RIVERS INITIATIVE ON THE BATTENKILL RIVER. SINCE THEN, TU HAS RESTORED 1 MILE OF IN-STREAM HABITAT, RECONNECTED 1.8 MILES OF COLDWATER HABITAT, PLANTED 1,150 TREES, AND ENGAGED OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS. IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WE WILL RESTORE ANOTHER 2 MILES OF STREAM, RECONNECTING 5.5 MILES, AND PLANTING AT LEAST 1,000 MORE TREES IN RIPARIAN AREAS IN THE BATTENKILL WATERSHED.IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION, TU IS WORKING TO PROTECT TROUT HABITAT THROUGH UPGRADED STREAM DESIGNATIONS THAT BRING MORE RIGOROUS PERMITTING STANDARDS. IN PENNSYLVANIA, TU HAS BEEN WORKING FOR A DECADE TO SURVEY STREAMS, IDENTIFY WILD TROUT POPULATIONS, AND SUPPORT THEIR FORMAL LISTING, RESULTING IN MORE THAN 7,000 MILES OF NEWLY-IDENTIFIED AND LISTED TROUT WATERS. A SUBSET OF THOSE WATERS RECEIVE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF PROTECTIONS AS "CLASS A, HIGH QUALITY" WATERS. PENNSYLVANIA RECENTLY ISSUED A RULEMAKING FOR 75 MILES OF THESE NEW, HIGH-LEVEL PROTECTIONS. IN NEW JERSEY, 600 MILES OF STREAMS WERE NEWLY UPGRADED TO A HIGHER "C-1" STATUS, AND IN THE COMING YEAR WE WILL BE PURSUING STREAM UPGRADES TO INCREASE PROTECTIONS FOR TROUT WATERS IN NEW YORK.IN MARYLAND, WEST VIRGINIA, AND VIRGINIA MUCH OF OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON SECURING AND ENHANCING BROOK TROUT STRONGHOLDS IN THE POTOMAC AND JAMES RIVER BASINS. ONE OF OUR LONGEST-RUNNING BROOK TROUT RESTORATION INITIATIVES IN THE POTOMAC HEADWATERS CONTINUED TO BUILD ON 10 YEARS OF WORK ON BOTH NATIONAL FORESTS AND 400 PRIVATE FARMS. OUR MONITORING IS SHOWING INCREASES IN BROOK TROUT POPULATIONS, INCLUDING THE PRESENCE OF BROOKIES OVER 15". IN VIRGINIA WE ARE DRAMATICALLY INCREASING THE SCALE OF OUR RESTORATION WORK THROUGH A NEW $2.9 MILLION AGREEMENT WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, COMPLEMENTED BY $750,000 FROM THE VIRGINIA ENVIRONMENTAL ENDOWMENT AND $1 MILLION FROM THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION. THESE GRANTS WILL ENABLE US TO RESTORE 5 MILES OF STREAM, ESTABLISH 40 ACRES OF RIPARIAN BUFFERS, INSTALL 20 MILES OF EXCLUSION FENCING, AND STABILIZE 10 MILES OF ERODING STREAMBANKS.THE DRIFTLESS AREA PROGRAM CONTINUED ITS MARCH THROUGH THE REGION'S 6,000 MILES OF SPRING CREEKS WITH ANOTHER 20 MILES OF RESTORATION IN 2021. FINALLY, IN THE GREAT LAKES BASIN, TU CONTINUED PROJECTS IN THE WHITE, MUSKEGON, MANISTEE, ROGUE, PERE MARQUETTE, AND ONTONAGON RIVERS OF MICHIGAN AND THE PESHTIGO AND OCONTO RIVERS OF WISCONSIN. TU HAS RECONNECTED HUNDREDS OF MILES OF HABITAT IN THESE WATERSHEDS IN RECENT YEARS AND ENHANCED INSTREAM HABITAT THROUGH WOOD ADDITIONS.IN OREGON, A HISTORIC AGREEMENT WAS REACHED TO REFORM STATE FOREST PRACTICES RULES FOR THE MORE THAN 10 MILLION ACRES OF PRIVATE TIMBER LANDS IN THE STATE. TU WAS A LEAD NEGOTIATOR IN THIS PROCESS, HELPING REPRESENT A COALITION OF 13 CONSERVATION GROUPS IN COLLABORATION WITH SEVERAL TIMBER COMPANIES AND REPRESENTATIVES FOR SMALL WOODLAND OWNERS. THE AGREEMENT WILL IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS BY ESTABLISHING NO-CUT RIPARIAN BUFFERS ON BOTH FISH-BEARING AND PORTIONS OF NON-FISH-BEARING PERENNIAL STREAMS, STRENGTHEN ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND STREAM CROSSING RULES TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY AND FISH PASSAGE, INCREASE PROTECTION OF STEEP SLOPES TO REDUCE THE LANDSLIDES, AND HELP RESTORE BEAVER ON THE LANDSCAPE.TU PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN GETTING A FIVEFOLD INCREASE IN HABITAT RESTORATION FUNDING IN NEW MEXICO. AFTER A MULTI-YEAR CAMPAIGN, THE STATE LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATED $10 MILLION TO THE STATE'S PROGRAM DEDICATED TO RESTORING RIVER HABITAT, A BIG JUMP FROM THE $1.5 MILLION IN ANNUAL FUNDING THE PROGRAM HAD RECEIVED. ALSO, GOVERNOR LUJAN-GRISHAM JUST ANNOUNCED SUPPORT FOR PUTTING CONSERVATION FUNDING ON A STATEWIDE BALLOT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEW MEXICO'S HISTORY. THIS INCLUDES A $50 MILLION BOND THAT WOULD GO TO EXISTING CONSERVATION, RESTORATION, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAMS. TU ADVOCATED FOR THE GOVERNOR TO PURSUE THE BOND.TU LED DOZENS OF FISH AND WILDLIFE GROUPS AND MAJOR OUTDOOR RECREATION COMPANIES IN CALLING ON THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO RECOVER SNAKE RIVER SALMON AND STEELHEAD, THAT INCLUDES REMOVAL OF FOUR DAMS ON THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER. A MONTH LATER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AGREED TO STAY A LAWSUIT BETWEEN THE NEZ PERCE TRIBE, THE STATE OF OREGON, AND A GROUP OF FISHING AND CONSERVATION GROUPS CHALLENGING FEDERAL DAM OPERATIONS ON THE SNAKE. IN THE STAY AGREEMENT THE ADMINISTRATION PLEDGED TO DEVELOP A LONG-TERM COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION. FOR THE PAST DECADE TU HAS WORKED IN WYOMING WITH RANCHERS, IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY AND STREAMFLOW THROUGHOUT THE GREYBULL RIVER WATERSHED (BIGHORN BASIN). TU STAFF PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO BUILD A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GREYBULL VALLEY IRRIGATION DISTRICT (GVID) OVER MANY YEARS, WHICH LED TO AN AGREEMENT TO PUT IN A FISH LADDER AT A GVID DIVERSION DAM AND RESTORE PASSAGE TO 100 MILES OF HABITAT THAT HAD BEEN BLOCKED FOR OVER 50 YEARS! TU STAFF AND CONTRACTORS WERE ON-SITE AND PROJECT CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED SO NOW THE GREYBULL RIVER AND ITS MAJOR TRIBUTARIES LIKE THE WOOD ARE BARRIER FREE. WE COMPLETED TWO CRITICAL FISH PASSAGE PROJECTS IN THE CARMEL RIVER WATERSHED TO HELP NATIVE STEELHEAD. OUR PROJECT ON CACHAGUA CREEK, A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ESSELEN TRIBE OF MONTEREY COUNTY, PROVIDED PASSAGE AT ALL FLOWS FOR STEELHEAD, AND DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED ACCESS AND SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS OF A LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY. OUR NORTH COAST SALMON AND STEELHEAD RESTORATION PROGRAM COMPLETED NINE PROJECTS IMPROVING 17 MILES OF STREAMS BY ENHANCING FISH PASSAGE, HABITAT, AND WATER QUALITY FOR COHO AND STEELHEAD. OUR LAWRENCE CREEK PROJECT IN THE EEL RIVER WATERSHED WAS NAMED ONE OF THE WATERS TO WATCH FOR 2021 BY THE NATIONAL FISH HABITAT PARTNERSHIP. IN A MUCH DRIER PART OF CALIFORNIA, TU HAS LAUNCHED "REORIENTING TOWARDS RECOVERY," AN UNPRECEDENTED THREE-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN NGOS AND STATE WATER CONTRACTORS THAT BRINGS TOGETHER WATER MANAGERS, AGENCIES, TRIBES, FISHING INTERESTS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO FIND CONSENSUS ON A SUITE OF ACTIONS TO ADVANCE CENTRAL VALLEY SALMON AND STEELHEAD RECOVERY IN A MANNER THAT EQUITABLY BALANCES DIVERSE VALUES. SEVERAL WORKSHOPS WERE HELD IN 2021, AND IN JANUARY THE OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT AND STRUCTURED DECISION-MAKING WORK COMMENCED WITH FUNDING FROM THE DELTA SCIENCE PROGRAM. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF TU PUTTING INTO ACTION ITS COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

VOLUNTEER OPERATIONS AND CHAPTER SUPPORT:PLANT A TREE WITH TU: INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON GROWING ENGAGEMENT AND COMBATTING CLIMATE CHANGE - DESIGNED TO HARNESS THE MARKETING POWER OF EARTH DAY (APRIL 22), ARBOR DAY (APRIL 29) AND NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK (APRIL 17-23,) "PLANT A TREE WITH TU" WILL BE A NATIONWIDE, WEEK-LONG EVENT TO SUPPORT RIPARIAN TREE PLANTINGS LED BY TU CHAPTERS AND STAFF ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE AT LEAST 100 LOCAL TREE PLANTING VOLUNTEER EVENTS REACHING NEW AUDIENCES THROUGH A COORDINATED NATIONAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT WILL INCENT CHAPTERS AND COUNCILS TO USE TU'S NEW EVENTGROOVE TOOL A TOOL THAT OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS HAS SUPPORTED MORE THAN 155 CHAPTER FUNDRAISING EVENTS. TU CAN INCORPORATE THESE PARTICIPANTS AND DONORS INTO OUR NATIONAL DATABASE, AND SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THESE LOCALLY ENGAGED MEMBER AND NON-MEMBER SUPPORTERS.BEYOND THE OBVIOUS IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND STREAM HEALTH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH THE TU SCIENCE STAFF AND PARTNERS AT THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE ON A PROGRAM TO TRACK OUR TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY AND MEASURE THE CARBON SEQUESTRATION POWER OF THE TENS-OF THOUSANDS OF TREES WE PLANT EACH YEAR. THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN WE WILL CALCULATE JUST HOW MUCH CO2 THAT TU IS TAKING OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE WITH THESE TREE PLANTINGS AND DEMONSTRATE FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT OUR EFFORTS NOT ONLY BUILD CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCY BUT ARE A POWERFUL WAY TO REDUCE THE PACE OF GLOBAL WARMING.THE KERRI RUSSELL EQUITY FUND HONORS FORMER TU TRUSTEE, KERRI RUSSELL'S LEGACY, INCLUDING HER DECADE-LONG COMMITMENT TO BOLSTER DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) WORK AT TU. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH NEW INVESTMENTS. TU IS ALSO ACTIVELY WORKING TO SUPPORT THE TRANSLATION OF MULTIPLE TU MATERIALS INTO SPANISH. UP FIRST A TRANSLATION OF TU'S STREAM GIRLS AND STREAM KEEPERS CURRICULUM.FINALLY, TU HAS INITIATED A MINI-GRANTS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FUNDING DIRECTLY TO CHAPTERS/ COUNCILS TO SUPPORT A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO MAKE TU CHAPTERS AND COUNCILS MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE. A BROAD ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES WILL BE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE FOR SUPPORT; HOWEVER, CHAPTERS AND COUNCILS WILL ONLY BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING IF THEY DEMONSTRATE PAST ENGAGEMENT IN DEI TRAINING FOR THE BOARD, OR THEY COMPLETE TU'S DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION BASIC TRAINING. THE GRANTS REVIEW COMMITTEE MADE THEIR FIRST GRANT TO THE CAPE COD CHAPTER THAT WILL USE THE FUNDS TO DELIVER A ROBUST WOMEN'S ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, SIMMS WILL FEATURE THE RUSSELL FUND IN THEIR SOCIAL FEEDS BOTH A CELEBRATION OF THE OPPORTUNITY AHEAD AND A CALL TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUND.TU'S HEADWATERS YOUTH EDUCATION BOARD PROVIDES ADVICE, INSIGHT AND FUNDING FOR TU'S YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE BOARD HAS CONTRIBUTED NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS TU YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMING.

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:REGARDING THE MEMBER RENEWAL AND APPEAL PROCESS, THE TEAM PLANS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PAPER AND EMAIL SOLICITATIONS BY 40 PERCENT. THIS REDUCTION WILL BE COMPLEMENTED BY FUTURE IT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL ALLOW SELF-SERVICE ACCESS FOR MEMBERS TO OPT IN OR OUT OF CERTAIN COMMUNICATIONS. THE TEAM WILL ALSO BE SHARING THE DESIGN FOR A MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT APP THAT WILL ALLOW CURRENT MEMBERS TO QUICKLY AND EASILY SIGN NEW MEMBERS UP ONLINE THROUGH THE APP.