President's Column - March/April 2017

In January we had the sixth year of Christmas for Coho, despite difficult weather conditions.  It continues to be our largest conservation project and one of the best.  My thanks  to the donors of trees, our volunteers and supporters (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clackamas River Trout Unlimited, Northwest Flyfishers, Royal Treatment Fly Fishing and Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters).

 

Peter Gray is TVTU’s new Youth Education Coordinator, and he will help develop TU’s Headwaters Youth Education Initiative.  The Coordinator works closely with chapter volunteers and community partners such as schools, youth organizations, summer camps, and colleges to promote a series of sub-programs within Headwaters known as the Stream of Engagement.  The Stream of Engagement supports a new generation of conservationists aged from kindergarten to college, with additional opportunity to engage the whole family.

 

If you want to volunteer for youth events, please contact Peter: bccpjgray@yahoo.com

 

I volunteered for some of the youth events last year and really enjoyed the time with the kids.  I hope you will join us in 2017.

 

Please consider signing the Trout Unlimited public lands petition at tu.org/publiclands.  Most of our chapter outings and my personal fishing trips are on federal public lands.  Some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and angling opportunities available to us are found on these lands. Public lands, owned by all Americans, are indispensable and we must care for them as such.  If these lands are privatized or transferred to the states, we will lose access. 

 

I do not sign many of these petitions, but I felt this one was an urgent need.  In addition to this petition, please contact your members of Congress and the Oregon legislature. To access the petition go to,

http://tu.org/publiclands

 

Want to fish with us?  Check out the Outings Schedule.  In 2017 there are many opportunities to join in with the Chapter and our friends from the Clackamas River TU Chapter.

 

Check out the bonus that Chapter members received for having co-hosted this year’s annual meeting with the Stonefly Maidens. 

Dave Hughes presented a terrific program, highlighting Tenkara Fly Fishing. 

After the program Dave gave Erle a package of information that he condensed into the feature article which covers much of what was presented that night.