Currently browsing… Conservation
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The magic of time and light
Summer light and good fishing bring TU's advocacy work into focus Among the ample life lessons bestowed by the pursuit of trout on the fly is one I like to think of as the gospel of timing and lighting. Which is to say, timing and lighting are the secret to life. Maybe not so much…
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Drought and trout
There are many demands on water, especially in the West. Municipal water for drinking and other human uses, agricultural water to grow our food, recreational water to keep a thriving outdoor recreation industry afloat and numerous others. And all are important for the economy and our lives and livelihoods, but in the West, it is clear there is not enough to go…
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Join #CLEANMYWATER in making local streams and rivers cleaner for all
Grab some trash, take a photo, post to Instagram and win some prizes. Sights like this are all too common. Photo courtesy of Becca Powell (@beccakpowell). We've all been there. Wading in our favorite local haunt, soaking in the beauty of our surroundings when suddenly we catch a glimpse of something that ruins the whole…
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Take a virtual field trip with Trout Unlimited
"Our field trips were mainly designed for our local students, with a mix of locations and lessons for students between 2nd and 5th grade. In this challenging time, we know all of us can appreciate some beautiful scenery around our Central Oregon streams and rivers, and the soothing sights and sounds that come from experiences in nature."
When COVID-19 shut down schools educators found other ways to help students experience the river About a decade ago Trout Unlimited launched a youth educational program in the Deschutes Basin of Oregon to build awareness of the importance of water and the health of rivers. The focus has been on key tributaries and sections of…
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Practicing equity at Trout Unlimited
“Why doesn’t TU stick to fixing rivers?” I’ve been asked this question more than a few times this week, this year—really, numerous times over my past 12 years on staff at Trout Unlimited. Generally, I pick up the phone and talk with folks. TU is a place where relationships are deep, and that sort of…
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The Land Ethic
We can turn to Aldo Leopold for important lessons that are ideal for the times.
Aldo Leopold was a philosopher, an ecologist and, very importantly, a writer. As though possessed of his talent for translating the universal, we quote him ad nauseam. And though the southwest still bears scars from his killing of wolves, cougars and other varmints, his eventual embrace of the predator as a force for ecological balance exemplifies a flexible and evolving mind that left a significant mark whenever it…
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Why are we here?
What would happen if TU went away?
After I graduated college, my older brother, John, introduced me to a friend who was a Jesuit priest. At the time, I was a somewhat aimless ice-cream factory worker and an assistant high school football coach. One night after dinner and drinks with my brothers and me, Father Donald asked me three questions. “Chris, what…