-
Coming home to the river
By Chris Wood Terry Edwards deployed five times for the Air Force. When his children were younger he deployed overseas, then came a tour in Kuwait. Later, came two tours in Iraq. His final deployment was in southwest Asia. Terry told me, “There is always a transition in coming home. Things stay with you, stick…
-
Give Idaho’s wild steelhead a chance
By Chris Wood The first time you snorkel a stream, the size of the bugs are disarming. Stoneflies tumbling down the stream look like aquatic dragons bent on taking off a limb. It is an optical illusion, of course. We were way up in the South Fork of the Salmon Riv er drainage. Hiking in…
-
Fixing our forests for communities—and fish—that depend on them
Fire on the mountain, anall too familiar scene in the West. By Chris Wood California is in the midst of its most deadly and damaging fire. At least 50 people have died, 6,700 homes burned, and more than 250,000 people evacuated. In response, President Trump tweeted: The President’s response is troubling in a number of…
-
Election losses and wins
Wild Alaska at dusk. By Chris Wood Last Tuesday was Election Day. The Democrats took over in the House of Representatives. The Republicans solidified their hold on the Senate. Buried in the shuffle was the outcome of two separate ballot initiatives . First, in Montana, Trout Unlimited worked closely with Montana TU and other partners…
-
Thanks for the memories
A good bank to fall down to land a fish. By Chris Wood I woke this morning dreaming that I was on point on a two-on-one fast break. I measure the distance from my ground blind to a target through various pass patterns. “That’s a down-and-out; that’s a post;” and so on. I still consider…
-
Fishing club or conservation group? Asked and answered
By Chris Wood Are we a conservation organization or a fishing club? That was the question for the Trout Unlimited Deerfield watershed chapter in northwestern Massachusetts when they formed almost ten years ago. Kevin Parsons tells the story: “A buddy approached me and said, ‘Let’s create a TU chapter.’ 'Fine,' I said "You be the…
-
Intelligent tinkering
By Chris Wood It gives me great pride to live in a country that says it is our policy as a nation to “halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost.” The Endangered Species Act is a patently American idea. Its presence demonstrates that we are not a desperate nation, hungrily grubbing…
Author
