Held in conjunction with the Wasatch Fly Fishing and Fly-Tying Expo, the Trout Unlimited Western Regional Rendezvous kept everyone busy. There were two full days of presentations from TU staffers and representatives from club members and Game and Fish Employees from the represented states.
President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, Chris Wood, addressed the attendees on Saturday night.
He highlighted the many accomplishments that had occurred over the past year in the Rocky Mountain Region. He spoke at length about the significance of the Apache Trout being delisted from the endangered species
list. He congratulated Arizona TU and its partners on the great work that occurred, over many years, that led to the Apache Trout being delisted.
There was considerable talk about the Federal grant funding being halted. These are funds from grants that have been awarded and in many cases the underlying work has been completed. The good news is that recently Federal funds for grants awarded by the US Forest Service and US Game and Fish have started to be released. This should allow the work that TU is scheduled to complete this coming summer to move forward.
Funding for approved grants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) remain frozen. TU has been awarded several grants under this legislation and whether the funds associated with these grants will be released is still unknown. TU is continuing to work with members of Congress to free up funding for grants that have been awarded under the BIL and IRA.
We were updated with efforts in habitat restoration, partner programs with landowners, and future plans. With such a large area managed by these people, it was humbling to see what they are capable of doing with the
available resources. With money and staff in short supply, things are getting done.
One of the biggest issues facing these waters is overgrazing. Waterways cannot sustain their integrity unless they are given the chance to have trees and grasses grow to established heights. Only then can the banks resist erosion and habitats thrive with shade and protective cover. The Western states are working with landowners to rotate cattle out of sensitive areas. The movement does not deprive the animals of grazing or water. This is a
big win for everyone. Some areas are being fenced, while older protected
sections are getting new fencing and repairs.
Contributed by Marco Cecala and Tom Goodwin
