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My son, Wylie, graduated from pre-kindergarten this week. After the ceremony (which Wylie opted to observe from the audience), he whispered, "Dad, can we go fishing now?" So, in nearly 100 degree heat, we set out to the C and O Canal in Washington, D.C., where fat mulberries fall to fatter carp. On my third cast, a bruiser fish sipped a mulberry pattern. I set the hook. Then, I handed the rod to Wylie, and watched the fun. "We got him, Dad. We got him!" His combination of wonder and determination was perfect.
Some of my earliest memories involve fishing with my family in a wooden rowboat. Mom would pack a bag of salami sandwiches (that Dad would cut with the bait knife). My brothers and I would eat sandwiches and catch Cape May crackers, sea robins, and flounder. And Dad and Granddad fished, and told stories.
You’re receiving this because you are a member, past member, supporter, or simply a friend of Trout Unlimited. For most of you, you’re getting this because you flat-out love to fish. It is through fishing that many of us connect to the outdoors, to our friends, and sometimes, our family, too. However, unlike Thoreau, who said, "Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after," we know that fishing is only part of the deal.
We belong to, or support, Trout Unlimited because we recognize the inextricable link among protecting land, leaving water in streams, restoring degraded areas, and better fishing. Five years ago, before the birth of my children, I would have ended there. The founders of TU famously advised, "Take care of the fish, and the fishing will take care of itself." Amen. But when you do fish, think about bringing a kid along with you. They are the ones who will sustain our conservation work, and ensure that it endures.
Thanks for all that you do. Stay in touch.
 
Chris Wood, Trout Unlimited, Chief Operating Officer
cwood@tu.org | direct line: 703-284-9403
Conservation Highlight—Protect, Reconnect, Restore, Sustain
PROTECT: Sportsmen meet to address responsible energy development in the West
For decades, Trout Unlimited has leveraged the clout of its grassroots sportsmen—primarily anglers—to accomplish great things on the ground all over the country. On the public lands front, TU is again flexing the collective muscle of its membership, and it’s joining with other sportsmen-oriented conservation groups to help achieve a new direction in public lands use, specifically regarding the development of oil and gas on land that belongs to all Americans. »read more
RECONNECT: Trout Unlimited Launches New Home Rivers Initiative on New Hampshire's Upper Connecticut River
The latest Home Rivers Initiative is now underway on the Upper Connecticut River in New Hampshire. The project's goal is to work throughout the watershed area to protect and restore the river and its tributaries in New Hampshire and Vermont. Habitat protection and restoration will benefit native fish including brook trout, as well as wild
trout species. »read more
Get Involved
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Farm Bill: In May, the House and Senate voted by substantial margins to override President Bush’s veto of the new Farm Bill. While falling short of what TU had hoped for, the new law does provide increased funding for programs which TU has historically used for beneficial partnership projects with ranchers and farmers. These include the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and also new programs which should be a good fit for our future restoration work, such as the Chesapeake Bay program.
Climate Change: Last week the Senate took up the Climate Security Act and debated it for several days before voting to close debate (cloture). The bill did not get the 60 votes that were needed to allow the Senate to continue to work on it and was pulled from the floor after losing the cloture vote. However, despite the setback, the cloture vote was quite promising, as it received 48 supporting votes. Messages from Senators McCain and Obama from the campaign trail both indicated that they would have supported the cloture vote. So, the Climate Security Act will be back for debate next year. »TU on climate change
UPCOMING TU EVENTS
June
13 - 15 Board of Trustees Meeting
18 Leaders Only Section Web Training
July
16 Leaders Only Section Web Training
25 National Award Nominations Due
September
11 - 14 Annual Meeting - Snowbird Resort near Salt Lake City, Utah
Forward Thinking:
August 2009: TU's 50th Anniversary - Traverse City, Michigan
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