Media Teleconference: New Trout Unlimited report features public fishing and hunting areas in East at risk from shale gas development
Dec. 17, 2014
Contact:
Mark Taylor, mtaylor@tu.org, 540-353-3556
MEDIA ADVISORY:
Trout Unlimited releasing full 10 Special Places report
Report focuses on protecting iconic public fishing and hunting areas from impacts of shale gas development
WASHINGTON, D.C.Trout Unlimited invites the media to a teleconference on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. EST to learn more about the organizations 10 Special Places report, which features outstanding public fishing and hunting areas in the East at risk from shale gas drilling and related activities, such as pipeline construction.
The report, which will be released Wednesday, takes a deeper look into 10 iconic public fishing and hunting destinations, outlining the potential risks posed by gas drilling operations and providing recommendations from sportsmen and women that promote responsible energy development.
The call will feature the following speakers:
Elizabeth Maclin, VP for eastern conservation for Trout Unlimited
Katy Dunlap, eastern water project director for Trout Unlimited
To participate in the call:
Dial in at 1 p.m. EST: (800) 750-5861
Passcode: 3533556#
Youll be asked to state your name, and then youll be placed into the call.
Large areas of Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia, and parts of Maryland, Virginia and Ohio, have become the epicenter for energy development in the East. As companies have flocked to the region to drill for natural gas, this energy development, which includes the construction of hundreds of miles of pipelines, could fundamentally alter hunting on some of the largest tracts of public lands in the East and fishing on thousands of miles of pristine native and wild trout streams, including tributaries of the Great Lakes and some of the last, best strongholds for native brook trout in Appalachia.
For the 8.8 million hunters and anglers who fish and hunt in the Appalachians — 8.8 million of your readers and viewers — this is a big deal.
TU has announced an individual location featured in the report weekly this fall, starting in September. The report for the final location, New Yorks Allegany State Park, and the full report will be announced on Wednesday. All of the material, including previous individual reports, are available at tu.org/special-places.
The places featured in the report are:
The Upper Delaware River basin — The Upper Delaware River is among the top trout fishing rivers in the country, and is less than two hours from New York City. Its also convenient to the other population centers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The Savage River watershed — This watershed in Marylands Garrett County features more than 120 miles of interconnected streams and the states highest native brook trout density.
Pine-Genesee-Allegheny headwaters — The headwaters of three famed rivers begin their descent from the same northcentral Pennsylvania mountaintop.
Laurel Highlands — With more than 138,000 acres of state forest and parks, and hundreds of miles of trout streams, this scenic section of southwestern Pennsylvania is an outdoor recreation mecca thats convenient to the Pittsburgh metro region.
George Washington and Jefferson national forests — Covering 1.6 million acres, this is one of the Easts largest tracts of national forest land, featuring extensive hunting opportunities and harboring 60 percent of Virginias remaining native brook trout streams.
Catskill Park — Home to the Neversink, Beaverkill and many other iconic trout rivers, New Yorks Catskill Park is known as the birthplace of American fly-fishing. Many of the parks streams feed into the drinking waters supply for New York City.
Monongahela National Forest — By far the largest tract of public land in West Virginia, the forest holds the headwaters for six major rivers: the Cheat, Potomac, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart and Gauley.
Slate Run — Nearly the entire 45 square miles of this famous Pennsylvania mountain trout streams watershed lies in and adjacent to the Tiadaghton State Forest, a popular outdoor recreation area.
Lake Erie watershed — This great lake and its tributaries feature both commercial and recreational fisheries. The regions recreational steelhead fishery is legendary.
Allegany State Park — More than 80 percent of this New York parks 65,000 acres have been designated a Park Preservation Area to limit development and to preserve hunting and fishing.
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Trout Unlimited is the nations largest coldwater conservation organization, with 155,000 members dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North Americas trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. Follow TU on Facebook and Twitter, and visit us online at tu.org.