TU’s California Director Chuck Bonham has been working on the Klamath since 2002, and TU’s Chief Executive Officer Chris Wood credits Bonham for his vision in this “herculean effort.”

Photographer, videographer  and Klamath restoration partner Thomas Dunklin was onhand for the event, and captured these videos.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declares, “it’s time to say hasta la vista to the Klamath dams.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger: I’ll be back! from Thomas B. Dunklin on Vimeo.

Yurok Tribe Chair Thomas O’Rourke speaks about what the agreement means for his tribe.

Thomas O’Rourke_Chairman of the Yurok Tribe from Thomas B. Dunklin on Vimeo.

Read more at the Klamath River Restoration Agreement website or watch this KTVU San Francisco news report featuring Bonham. See what’s at stake  first-hand in Dunklin’s underwater salmon photos.

Colorado River cutthroat from San Juan Mountains

Many important points were made in the Durango Herald’s March 4 article, “Plotting the Alpine Triangle,” a feature that described TU’s plan to gain permanent protection for this scenic, yet fragile parcel of public land high in the San Juan Mountains.  But none was more significant than this one:

“Don Short with the San Juan Trail Riders said he could support the campaign. The club, Short said, has 300 to 400 members, mainly motorcycle and ATV buffs, who frequently ride in the Alpine Triangle. ”

That’s huge news. Because motorized users across the country are well known for rejecting almost any land use designation or policy change, fearing limitations on their ability to ride their vehicles on public lands. TU’s plan for the Alpine Triangle, renowned for it’s “Alpine Loop” trail and easy access for motorcycles, jeeps and OHV’s, envisions permanent federal protection for the area, and the creation of three new wilderness areas, where motorized use is prohibited by law.

But this campaign, put together by TU’s Sportsmen’s Conservation Project , is different. It’s a collaborative effort, built from the grassroots, and motorized users have been invited to the table alongside hunters, anglers, small businessmen, local officials and anyone else who has an interest in keeping this area much as it is now. All parties involved are working to ensure that the best qualities of the Alpine Triangle are preserved for the future. And that’s the whole point, as Short will tell you:

“We four-wheel all over that country just goofing off for a day,” said Short. “We’re a club that wants to keep the area for everyone to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors.”

Read the article here.

When you think about it, much of our nation’s remaining high-quality fishing and hunting occurs on public lands in the Rockies, and protecting these opportunities is generally as simple as protecting the status quo. That’s the case with the Alpine Triangle in southwest Colorado, where a host of uses on public lands attract about 300,000 people to the region every year. The SCP’s campaign to “keep it like it is” in the Alpine Triangle is gaining some traction among all users of this fantastic country, and the Durango Herald made note of it in a recent editorial.

We’re proud of our cooperative approach to conservation in the West, and the Alpine Triangle campaign is the latest example of how TU and the SCP work to protect habit. And, as we all know, intact habitat translates directly into opportunity, especially if you’re an angler or a hunter.

Check out the video featuring the SCP’s Ty Churchwell, as he explains where the Triangle is, and what we’re trying to accomplish in this fantastic country.

Trout Unlimited has launched a media campaign in Alaska’s population centers — Fairbanks, Anchorage, Kenai and Juneau — aimed at raising awareness about the threats to Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble mine. The television, radio, print and online ads will run until early September.

Watch a sample TV spot.

Protecting the Mon is incredibly important…having the West Virginia council take a stance on illustrates just how special this place is.

Read the press release

Here’s the rub: When the Forest Service allowed the leasing of the area a few years back, it allowed energy companies to lease land based on a 1997 environmental impact statement. Never mind that new rules were put in place in 2003 that were meant to protect riparian habitat along streams. In TU’s opinion, the rules put forth in 2003 should have been followed, and, quite honestly, they would have helped ensure responsible development of our fossil fuels in that region.

The 1997 EIS has no stipulations for riparian protection. That’s not good enough when you’re talking about the stellar fisheries habitat in Diamond Fork Canyon that includes a reintroduced stronghold of Bonneville cutthroat trout. Strawberry Reservoir is Utah’s No. 1 recreational fishery–trashing the habitat around the reservoir, including some vital spawning streams for kokanee salmon and cutthroat trout–is not something TU members in Utah are too keen on.

But, as is almost always the case, going to court is a last resort. TU has attempted to sit down with some of the lease holders, and we’re sensing signs of life.  But we’re not willing to compromise irreplacable fisheries in the region, especially when the rules in place support our position. Stay tuned.

This is a no-brainer for anyone who cares about wild places and wild trout. Take action today: Write the BLM and let them know you want this rugged, spectacular canyon protected for future generations.

Hamilton had served in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 30 years, including in a number of positions where he worked directly with TU volunteers and staff.
“Sam Hamilton was a warm, engaging, splendid conservationist,” said Steve Moyer, TU’s vice president of government affairs. He was a leader in moving our nation’s fish and wildlife conservation efforts toward a landscape scale approach. But what he did best was build lasting partnerships. Sam was gifted at getting diverse interests to work together for the benefit of fish and wildlife resources.”

Hamilton took over the leadership of the FWS in September. He was previously the regional director of the agency’s 10-state Southeast region.

Hamilton first became involved with the agency when he was 15 years old, as a member of the Youth Conservation Corps in Mississippi with the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, His emphasis on partnership activities has bolstered the FWS’s fisheries program and helped establish the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, one of the founding partnerships of the National Fish Habitat Initiative, to restore vital aquatic habitats across the southeast region.

Hamilton provided key leadership and oversight to the Interior Department’s restoration work in the Everglades, the nation’s fabled “River of Grass” and the largest ecosystem restoration project in the country. He oversaw the extensive recovery and restoration efforts required following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which devastated coastal wetlands, wildlife refuges, and other wildlife habitat areas along the Gulf of Mexico.
“We will miss him, but we draw inspiration from his life and legacy,” said Moyer.