Communities in action
TOGETHER, WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF
OUR HOME WATERS
TOGETHER, WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF
OUR HOME WATERS
Across the country, dedicated communities of conservation-minded volunteers show up at events, get to work in the river, and build a culture of stewardship.
Together, we have educated thousands of students, cleaned up hundreds of miles of local streams, and raised millions in conservation funding. Individually, over 400 local TU chapters directed their resources to the unique needs of the rivers and streams – and the people – in their communities.
In the last fiscal year, TU chapter volunteers gifted more than 630,000 hours to their rivers and streams, hosted nearly 5,000 community engagement events, and connected over 86,000+ kids with nature.
Women on the Fly Thrives in Washington
The Spokane Falls chapter cultivates a culture of conservation through diverse programming. Trout in the Classroom, community science and restoration opportunities, and a strong Women on the Fly initiative all thrive by developing new connections and partnerships across the Spokane Inland Northwest. Since its inception a decade ago, Spokane Women on the Fly has evolved into a deep network of newbie anglers, experienced fly fishers, and individuals looking to get outside. Through a regular schedule of fishing events, fly-tying workshops, casting clinics, and active online engagement, this group collaborates with the Spokane Falls chapter, recognizing that community building precedes on-the-ground action in inspiring people to connect with their local waters and conservation efforts.
Working Together to Serve Wisconsin Veterans
A spirit of service runs deep in the Green Bay TU (GBTU) chapter, with an active board supporting youth education, habitat restoration projects, community engagement activities, and a robust veteran service program (VSP). Several Wisconsin TU chapters run VSP programs where TU volunteers (many veterans themselves) teach other veterans, first responders, and their family members how to fly fish – and GBTU holds the honor of hosting the most VSP hours of any TU chapter nationwide. The chapter hosts flytying workshops, fishing trips, and other opportunities for veteran anglers to commune with nature, and with each other. Last year, Green Bay’s VSP hosted over 25 events, offering more than 200 hours of activities that united people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds for connection, stewardship, and fishing.
The Zane Grey Chapter in action at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, advocating for wild and native trout.
Advocating for Action in Arizona
Throughout the nation, TU chapters champion sustainable water policy to unlock funding and turn restoration visions into reality. In Arizona, the Zane Grey chapter’s Public Policy Committee sharpens their advocacy skills by engaging elected officials, political candidates, governmental agency leaders, and other organizations to promote durable coldwater conservation policies. Now a council-wide committee, the group actively participates in the Arizona legislature’s Western River Action Network Day, supports an annual event where legislators engage with hunting and fishing NGO’s (Camo at the Capitol), and spearheads letter-writing, phone call, and email campaigns for various conservation initiatives. Key issues include beating back bills that seek to transfer of federal public lands to Arizona, excessive use of groundwater, game and forestry management, and the Clean Water Act.
TU VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED MORE THAN
630,000 HOURS
OF HARD WORK IN COMMUNITIES
TU VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED MORE THAN
630,000 HOURS
OF HARD WORK IN COMMUNITIES
Volunteers from Montana’s Big Blackfoot Chapter help build a fence on Kleinschmidt Flat, supporting a grazing management system along the North Fork Blackfoot River. Photo credit BBCTU.
369 Chapters & 36 Councils in 45 States cast their efforts in the water and on the ground—in fiscal year 2024, they raised an impressive $16.2 million in additional support for local conservation and education efforts.
Making Big Moves on Montana’s Big Blackfoot
By the numbers, Montana’s Big Blackfoot Chapter of TU (BBCTU) is one of the smallest TU chapters. In practice, though, the BBCTU is punching well above its weight class. Since the chapter began putting boots in the river to protect the Blackfoot River in 1990, native trout numbers increased by 800%. Today, the chapter has worked with over 250 landowners on 750 projects to reconnect, restore, and protect this iconic watershed. A powerful fundraising machine, BBCTU partners with local businesses to support the river – and they are one of only a handful of TU chapters nationally to have a paid staffer managing chapter initiatives, forging community relationships, and developing new opportunities.
Protecting a Vital Legacy in Alaska
For Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula chapter, participating in science and restoration activities isn’t just a hobby – it’s protecting a way of life. Salmon play a vital role in the local economy, and, in turn, advocating for healthy fish means protecting a healthy community, too. The Kenai Peninsula chapter was awarded an Embrace a Stream grant to train, recruit, and deploy volunteers to map the life stages and presence of salmon in various local waters. By mapping these streams, the chapter furthered protections at both state and local levels for these undocumented waters. The effort amped up research and empowered local voices in calling for greater protection of Alaska’s coldwater resources. The Kenai Peninsula chapter’s work has documented over 17 miles of anadromous streams,1,152 lake acres, and captured over 3,000 fish all with the help of over 300 volunteer hours recorded.
Members of the TU Costa 5 Rivers Texas State Fly Fishing Club joined forces with GRTU to clean up the San Marcos River after Memorial Day weekend. Photo courtesy GRTU.
Sustaining a Culture of Stewardship in Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas – including the Guadalupe River TU chapter (GRTU) at 5,400 members strong. The chapter uses this power in numbers to launch and sustain several coldwater conservation initiatives, from funding grants through our Coldwater Conservation Grant Program and the GRTU Foundation, to conducting and sponsoring local river clean ups. GRTU puts special emphasis on building the next generation of conservation-minded anglers with support of Trout in the Classroom, Youth Trout Camp, TU Teen Summit, and the GRTU Tomorrow Fund. True to keeping things Texas-sized, GRTU’s member engagement and fundraising event, Troutfest TX, has grown to become one of the largest and most respected conservation and fly fishing events in the country, funding almost a half million dollars of grants in the past seven years.