Sportsmen for Browns Canyon Meeting Tomorrow!!

Browns Canyon Public Meeting: We need your voice!!

Senator Mark Udall has unveiled his proposal to create Browns Canyon National Monument and Wilderness Area. Trout Unlimited along with the National Wildlife Federation, Colorado Wildlife Federation, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and the Bull Moose Sportsmen’s Alliance are proud to support his bill and we need your help. This proposal will create jobs, maintain existing uses, and most importantly protect this spectacular area for river recreationists, sportsmen, anglers and future generations.

Mark Udall, who chairs the U.S. Senate National Parks Subcommittee, unveiled draft legislation on March 28, 2013, to create the Browns Canyon National Monument, covering 22,000 acres between Salida and Buena Vista in Chaffee County.  The proposal includes 10,500 acres of new wilderness and seeks to protect the most popular rafting destination in the country.  The proposal is based on a year of public input that Udall and his staff have collected since the spring of 2012.

Senator Udall is hosting two public meetings to gather input on his proposal. The first meeting was in Nathrop, CO on April 13th, and we are proud to say that sportsmen made a huge impact on the discussions that took place. Senator Udall very much heard the support coming from the sportsman community in Nathrop; but we need more!! The second meeting is being held in your area and We need to bring a strong sportsmen's voice to this meeting also. Senator Udall's proposal will protect the outstanding brown trout fishery in Browns Canyon and maintain the integrity of the backcountry habitat that is critical wintering ground for the big game that we appreciate so much as sportsmen.

Meeting Details:

What:

Browns Canyon Public Meeting

When:

Saturday, May 18

9:30am - 11:30am

Where:

American Mountaineering Center

Foss Auditorium

710 10th St.

Golden, CO

For more details, contact Reed Dils (719) 395-8949, Bill Dvorak (719) 221-3212, or Garrett VeneKlasen (505) 670-2925

CTU Awards Honor Conservation Leaders

At the annual CTU Awards Banquet, held as part of the Rendezvous in Redstone on April 20, awards were presented to recognize both chapters and individuals for their contributions to river conservation.  From river restoration projects, to volunteers for youth education, this year's award winners were an impressive bunch.  Awards presented were: Outstanding Volunteers.  CTU recognized three volunteer members for their outstanding contributions:

• Charlie Horn was recognized for his longstanding efforts in youth education, both spearheading West Denver TU's partnership with the Jefferson County Outdoor Lab Schools and assisting Colorado TU in bringing the "Stream Explorers" program to youth in the Denver metro area.
• Ralph Rhoades was honored for his broad volunteer commitment with the Cherry Creek Anglers - helping the chapter with everything from organizing youth education programs, to coordinating the annual fly tying clinic, to lining up compelling programs for chapter meetings.
• Brad Waltman was recognized for his leadership in establishing youth education initiatives with the new Dolores River Anglers chapter including partnerships with schools and scouting organizations - helping a new chapter to make a difference with the youth in its community.

Chapter Communications.  The Evergreen Chapter was recognized for its revitalized efforts to communicate with its members on a regular basis with a well-written and welll-researched newsletter and website, while the Grand Valley Anglers was honored for its outstanding newsletter the "Territorial Trout Tribune and Piscatorial Post."

Youth Education.  The Cheyenne Mountain Chapter was honored for a diverse program of educational efforts including partnerships with the Catamount Institute, the first-in-the-nation "Trout in the Community" project modeled after Trout in the Classroom, and involvement with the National Fishing in Schools Program.

Projects.  The Gunnison Gorge Anglers were recognized for their Relief Ditch project, partnering with local irrigators to replace a diversion structure so as to improve river habitat and flows while also reducing maintenance burdens for farmers.  The Purgatoire River Anglers were honored for their work in engaging the Trinidad community and conducting in-stream habitat improvements on the Purgatoire River through town.

Exemplary Chapter.  The Gunnison Gorge Anglers were selected as this year's exemplary chapter, in recognition of their outstanding work on the Relief Ditch project coupled with an outstanding chapter event - the Black Canyon Fly Fishing Expo; strong youth programs; and an effective chapter communications effort.

Exemplary Guide & Outfitter.  In recognition both of generous support to Colorado Trout Unlimited and its chapters through fundraising donations - along with tireless advocacy and education on issues from protecting Browns Canyon on the Arkansas to conserving wildlife and fish habitat in the face of oil and gas development, Bill Dvorak of Dvorak Expeditions was Colorado TU's Exemplary Guide & Outfitter of the year.

Trout Conservation Award.  Attorney Michael Freeman of EarthJustice was recognized for his representation of Colorado TU and other conservationists in our challenge to the BLM's Roan Plateau management plan - which lacked appropriate protections for the Roan's outstanding fish and wildlife values.  Freeman spearheaded what was a major legal victory for conservationists, and continues to lead efforts to reach a reasonable agreement with oil and gas interests that allows development in appropriate areas while protecting the most valuable habitats on the Roan.

Trout Communications Award.  Scott Willoughby of The Denver Post was honored for his writing on outdoor recreation and conservation issues - including extensive coverage of the challenges facing the Upper Colorado River and the importance of anglers and boaters engaging in its protection.

Distinguished Service Award.  For his longstanding efforts on behalf of trout conservation - from representing TU in National Forest processes for travel management on the west slope and for seeking compromise solutions on disputes over "bypass flows" at diversions on National Forests, to spearheading on-the-ground stream monitoring and native trout restoration projects, John Trammell of Grand Junction received the Distinguished Service Award.  Additionally, Mely Whiting was honored for her effective representation of Trout Unlimited on issues in the Colorado River headwaters - including work on Wild & Scenic River negotiations that resulted in an historic instream flow filing and successful negotiation of a strong river conservation package with the Windy Gap Firming Project.

Bruce Hoagland Award for Leadership in Conservation.  Longtime Colorado TU lobbyist and board member Jo Evans was honored for her lifetime contributions toward conservation.  Read more here.

Congratulations - and thank you! - to all of these award winners.

These Gals are Fly!

The Collegiate Peak Anglers Chapter of TU has an awesome group of ladies in their ranks - the FlyGals. This group of women fly fishers began meeting up in 2002, hosting their first fly fishing event in June of that year - a two-day excursion to the Sweet Water Ranch on the Chaffee-Park county line. In January of 2003, the group met to set up goals and hosted a casting demonstration.

Originally called the Women's Outreach Committee of CCP-TU, they renamed themselves the Womens Outreach Group (WOG) in 2004, and continued to hold spring clinics and fish together in the summer.  By 2007, this group of lady fly fishers had renamed themselves the FlyGals.  With instructors the likes of professional guides Char Bloom (Keystone), Paula Fothergill (Carbondale), and Carol Neville  (Salida, now located in Boise, ID), the group has hosted numerous women's only fly fishing clinics and trips.

FlyGals currently hosts fly shop orientations, where women are able to visit their local fly shop (Ark Anglers) and receive firsthand knowledge about what is available in the shop.  The Fly Shop provides several door prizes and discounts for the women as well as a chance to try out rods and other equipment.  FlyGals also offers several clinics throughout the summer - fly casting clinics; bug clinics designed to orient participants to the local bug cultures and conditions, what bugs hatch at various times of the year, and which flies are best to imitate these hatches; and 2-day fly fishing clinics offered by a professional female fly fishing guide.  FlyGals also host great events like Companion Fishing, where more experienced women fly fishers are paired with more novice women for a day of fly-fishing, and River Fishing, where each woman has a “river helper” (often a member of Collegiate Peaks Anglers) to serve as a “guide” for a morning of fly fishing on the Arkansas River.  In the summer the FlyGals get together for trips from high mountain lakes fishing for native cutthroats to private water fishing.

With over 30 women currently on the roster, FlyGals is a great testament to women on the rise in fly fishing!

For more information or to join the FlyGals email list, please contact Barbara Plake at bplake1@unl.edu.

Sneak Peek into 2013 Rendezvous

We know you are all anxious to hear what presenters we have lined up for Rendezvous this year, so here is a sneak peek into our Rendezvous weekend. The theme for Rendezvous 2013 is SUSTAINABILITY. We tend to think first about the sustainability of Colorado's rivers, when in fact the sustainability of our organization is what allows us to "conserve, protect, and restore." Ongoing fundraising programs help us fund restoration projects. Succession planning helps us ensure continuity and board effectiveness. Youth education programs help us groom future members and leaders. And so we sought to achieve a balance of presentations that address the sustainability of both our rivers and our organization.

This year we have something very special planned for the Saturday night banquet:

Sustain This! The Many Landscapes of Trout

Presented by Mark Lance

This program captures a photographer's view of the most spectacular landscapes in the world of fly fishing.  Though his compelling images, Mark takes the audience on a fly fishing journey from the heights of the Patagonian Andes, to hallowed fisheries of the Rocky Mountain West, to forbidden rivers of the Kamchatka peninsula. “Rivers are a key force in shaping the landscape,” says photographer Mark Lance. “Rivers are inseparably entwined with the surrounding ecosystem, the people, culture and development of a place.”

Mark Lance has been fly fishing for over 40 years and wielding a camera for nearly as long. He is the Rocky Mountain Field Editor for Southwest Fly Fishing Magazine. He shoots for many outdoor manufacturers and travel companies and is a frequent contributor to fly fishing magazines including Grays Sporting Journal, Fly Rod and Reed, Trout Magazine, American Angler, Saltwater Fly Fisherman, and the Contemporary Sportsman. His photography can be viewed at riverlightimages.com.

Below are some of the other presenters and topics that they will be presenting:

Healthy Rivers Sustaining Rural Communities

Richard Van Gytenbeek, Trout Unlimited’s Colorado River Basin Outreach Coordinator is responsible for enlisting support for healthy rivers in the Colorado River Basin from local agricultural interests, sportsman groups and river dependent businesses. The “Healthy Rivers Sustain Rural Communities on Colorado’s West Slope” presentation is an integral part of TU’s “Our Colorado River” campaign. The program examines the importance of healthy rivers to agricultural and recreation on Colorado West Slope and the vital economic role they play in their communities. The presentation additionally covers the essential physical components of healthy rivers, threats to the river and strategies to mitigate those threats. The presentation concludes by highlighting some examples of TU’s work on the West Slope through restoration, irrigation infrastructure improvements and water sharing.

Colorado Fish and Wildlife Service Funding Programs

Pam Sponholtz, Project Leader, Colorado Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Office, will be providing an overview of the Service's funding programs and how TU can effectively partner with CFWS on different projects.  With a focus on sustainability, she will be discussing various programs, the nuances of each, how to apply and some examples of completed projects.

Responsible OHV Recreation and Habitat Protection on Public Lands

Garrett VeneKlasen, Southwest Regional Director for TU’s Sportsmen’s Conservation Project (SCP), and Aaron Kindle, Colorado Field Coordinator for the SCP will present on Sportsmen Ride Right and how TU works to promote responsible Off Highway Vehicle recreation. Sportsmen Ride Right is a TU developed program that asks sportsmen to lend their energy to ensuring habitat protection and viability while using OHVs. We believe that all sportsmen who recreate on public lands use some form of an OHV to access their favorite hunting and fishing spots and that problems are not confined simply to ATV users. Mismanagement of motorized recreation and irresponsible use is a growing problem on our public lands and sportsmen need to play a large role in creating solutions. Join Garrett and Aaron as they talk about TU’s efforts both nationally and here in Colorado.

Energy Development in the Thompson Divide and What it means to Sportsmen

The Thompson Divide is right across the highway from Redstone and feeds numerous rivers important to anglers. The area also holds several conservation populations of cutthroat trout and is known as one of the best elk hunting areas in Colorado. The Thompson Divide is currently largely undeveloped but proposals for large scale development have been submitted. Aaron Kindle, Colorado Field Coordinator for TU’s Sportsmen’s Conservation Project, will present on TU’s efforts to work with sportsmen, surrounding communities, Colorado’s congressional delegation, and energy companies to find solutions and protect this magnificent area.

Want to visit the Thompson Divide and see what is going on?

Aaron Kindle, TU’s Field Coordinator, will be leading an optional field trip into the Thompson Divide for Rendezvous attendees. Topics will include proposed energy development, cutthroat trout conservation, sporting opportunities and an overview of Western Colorado energy development. You are encouraged to attend if you have not followed this issue and would like to learn more.

TU will provide transportation and will be departing from the front entrance of the Redstone Inn on Friday the 19^th of April. Please meet there at 8:30 AM. The trip will last approximately two hours, running from 8:45 – 10:45 AM. Please RSVP for this trip with Stephanie Scott 720-354-2647 or sscott@tu.org.

For more information about 2013 Rendezvous please click on the link below:

www.coloradotu.org/event/colorado-tus-rendezvous-at-redstone/

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Jim Buckler of Summit County, the winner of the Colorado TU Spring Raffle! Jim won a weekend getaway for two to the luxurious Madison Valley Ranch, located along one of the cathedrals of fly fishing, the legendary Madison River in Montana.

Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets!  You helped Colorado TU to raise over $10,300 in support of our work conserving, protecting, and restoring Colorado's rivers and watersheds, and connecting youth with the great outdoors.

Join the Battle Against Post-Fire Erosion in the Poudre Watershed

The Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter of TU has helped establish the High Park Restoration Coalition (HPRC) whose mission is directly related to the restoration of targeted areas within the High Park Fire and Hewlett Gulch Fire burn areas.  These fires created a tremendous negative impact on the Poudre watershed and have also created water quality concerns throughout the Northern Colorado Community.  All of us can help lessen those concerns and begin a procss of ecological healing by simply committing a little time and energy.  As winter approaches, and snow pack increases, the stage is being set for a springtime of more soil erosion accompanied by landslides, flooding, road closures, and threats to fishery habitats in the Poudre. The HPRC is now focused on recruiting volunteers to implement near-term plans for carrying out preventive erosion measures. The complex scheduling, training, supervision, and support required to implement these measures is being coordinated through Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, a HPRC partner.

YOU CAN HELP!  The HPRC needs volunteers to provide labor and support for the remaining projects before the snow accumulates.  Project dates are Friday, October 19th, and Thursday, October 25th.  One hundred or more volunteers are needed for each of these days.

If you are concerned about the impact the fires have had on this wonderful area we are so fortunate to live near, please volunteer to help with these restoration efforts!

To register as a volunteer for either of these projects, please visit Wildlands Restoration Volunteers Sign Up.

Once you have reached the site, scroll down the 2012 projects list to the High Park Post-Fire Restoration project on the date(s) you want to volunteer. These two projects are near the end of a long chronological list of all 2012 Wildland Restoration Volunteer projects.  Click on: "Register Here" and then sign in. When completing the registration form, in the box titled Group Name, enter: RMF TU, and the Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter will be recognized for your participation.

We hope to see you there!

Photo courtesy of CNHP/Michael Menefee/LightHawk.

Greenbacks, West Denver, and BBBS Come Through for the Kids

The past two weekends were about the kids. Colorado Trout Unlimited, with the help of Jake Lemon, and Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Colorado, with the help of Kaity Talmage-Bowers, teamed to create a unique experience for over a dozen boys and girls, along with their ‘bigs’. The first week was chalked full of stream entomology and biology, while the second focused on fly-tying and getting some lines in the water. On the first weekend, with the help of Charlie Horn of West Denver TU and Greenbacks volunteers, the kids and their ‘bigs’ got their feet wet collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates in the South Platte River at Reynolds Landing Park in Littleton.  Adults and kids alike showed great interest in the previously unknown world living under water and rock in their local river.  After sorting the bugs and discussing various physiological characteristics, the kids and their ‘bigs’ worked together to identify what they had found.  Following a brief lunch, the junior scientists worked in groups of three to investigate the behavior of aquatic macroinvertebrates.  Using brine shrimp as their subjects, they set up experiments to test the effects of light, gravity, and temperature.  After collecting and consolidating their data, they shared what their results told them about instream macroinvertebrate habitat and behavior.

With their interest in fish and bugs piqued during the first week’s activities, the kids were ready to fish the following Saturday. With help again from Charlie Horn, the kids first sat down at a table next to Overland Pond to try their hand at tying some flies. Charlie is such a good teacher, and when given the chance to tie a second fly or eat lunch, most hands were raised to stay put.

After the tying session, the kids were provided a gift courtesy of Denver Parks and Rec and the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife      – a brand new spinning rod they could take home and use in the future. We rigged the rods while they took a break, and then they were off fishing on Overland Pond – some with their own flies that they had tied.

It was great to walk around the park and watch these kids pull little fish in left and right. There wasn’t a huge number caught, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that these kids got the opportunity to work with people that care about them. From their big brothers and sisters, to Trout Unlimited, to Denver Parks and Rec and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, kudos to all your efforts to team-up and create a unique experience that these kids will never forget. And maybe, just maybe, a few of these kids will become life-long anglers and the next generation helping to keep our waters clean and fishy.

Kyle Perkins, Compleat Thought

My Best Float Trip Ever

I did a float trip on the Gunnison River last weekend. I caught a couple of fish, saw an enormous Golden Eagle, enjoyed outstanding weather, and none of that had anything to do with why this was my best float trip ever. It was my best float trip ever because it was a "perfect storm" of conservation values, dedicated staff and volunteers, and people who are willing to provide financial support for river protection and restoration efforts.

• The trip was organized for members of Colorado TU's River Stewardship Council, people who contribute at least $1,200 annually. These are people who are serious about protecting rivers and it was a pleasure getting to know people who share my conservation values.
• The trip was organized by people at all three levels of Trout Unlimited - national, state and local chapter. It was a tremendous demonstration of how powerful and effective we can be when the OneTU concept is applied.

• The trip included a visit to the Gunnison Ditch Relief project site, giving RSC members a personal, on-the-ground view of how their donations translate into river conservation work.

I encourage you to consider joining the River Stewardship Council. I can't guarantee you the "best float trip ever," but I can guarantee that your money will directly translate to the best river conservation work in the state!

Rick Matsumoto, Vice President Colorado TU

Clean Rivers are Healthy Rivers

Colorado’s rivers are one of our greatest assets – providing the water we need for our communities and farms, supporting our robust recreation economy, and sustaining our environment.  Now, Colorado Trout Unlimited has launched the Great Colorado River Cleanup so that people across the state can give something back to our rivers by removing trash from the banks and channels of our waters.  Whether you fish on a gold medal Colorado stream - take walks along your community’s riverfront greenway – raft or kayak on some of our state’s outstanding whitewater – or simply enjoy the sight of healthy, flowing rivers – by participating in or organizing a stream cleanup on your local waterways you can make a difference! River cleanups are good for our river corridors and the fish and wildlife that live in them – and they are fun, family-oriented projects that Coloradoans of all ages can take part in.  With partners including our lead sponsor, Teva, and river stewards like American Rivers and a host of local watershed groups, there is a team of dedicated Coloradoans ready to help our rivers from the South Platte and Cache la Poudre to the Colorado and Animas.

See what cleanups are coming soon on waters near you, and join in the Great Colorado River Cleanup!

Cleaning up the Colorado and Roaring Fork

By all accounts, this year’s Glenwood Springs River Cleanup, on Saturday, August 25, was a success. About 85 volunteers, including almost a dozen in boats, turned out to pick up trash from an estimated nineteen miles of public riverbanks along the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers.   The event was organized by the Glenwood Springs River Commission, a nine-member citizen board that advises Glenwood’s City Council on issues related to the rivers and the City’s River Trail system. The River Commission credits the excellent volunteer turnout largely to a series of ads in local newspapers, mostly financed by a substantial gift from the Ferdinand Hayden Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Volunteers met at Two Rivers Park to register for cleanup assignments. Fueled by coffee donated by Starbucks, volunteers on land picked up trash along the Glenwood Canyon bike path from the Grizzly Creek rest area to the west end of the Horseshoe Bend tunnels, as well as from about three miles of riverbank along the Roaring Fork and Colorado within the city limits. Boaters reached from their boats and scrambled onto shore to pick up litter and larger trash along the south side of the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon and on both sides of the Colorado from the city limits to the South Canyon boat launch ramp west of town. Other boaters combed less-accessible stretches of the Roaring Fork within Glenwood Springs.

American Rivers, a nationwide nonprofit that advocates for healthy rivers, provided the trash bags, and the Colorado River District chipped in additional cash for the project. The trash, which amounted to several truckloads, included everything from the smallest pieces of foil wrappers to pallets, culverts, and an artificial Christmas tree complete with lights. The most common items were water bottles, soft drink cans, and fast food cups. City of Glenwood workers picked up full trash bags left at work sites by land-based volunteers, and hauled them to the landfill.

After the work was done, volunteers were treated to a community barbecue made possible by the generosity of Glenwood Springs businesses. Rick Wernsmann of the 19th Street Diner donated burgers and sausages and cooked them on a commercial-sized grill. The burgers and brats were accompanied by side dishes stirred up by six Glenwood Springs restaurants. Glenwood Canyon Brewing furnished the beer, and soft drinks were donated by the local Coca Cola distributor. Through it all, the volunteers were serenaded with smooth country-rock music provided by a Carbondale-based band called “All the Pretty Horses.”

This was the second annual community-wide river cleanup, and with the success of this year’s event, it’s pretty certain the River Commission will continue to promote a cleanup day into the future.

Article and photos submitted by the Ferdinand Hayden Chapter of TU.