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Why rescinding the Roadless Rule is a problem for trout and salmon
Chris Wood explains on The Wild Idea podcast Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a plan to rescind the Roadless Rule, which protects 58.5 million acres of some of the finest fish and wildlife habitat on our national forests. Chris Wood, Trout Unlimited president and CEO, was the senior policy and communication advisor…
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Fishing in beautiful places with great friends
There are anglers who will stand in the bow of a boat for hours waiting for a single cast at a permit. I am not one of them. Last year, I had two shots at these fish with the body of a bleached green sunfish on steroids and a fin that resembles a stick moving…
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Keep public lands in public hands
We are kicking off a series that highlights the people and places at the heart of these landscapes—and the practical, local perspectives keeping them accessible, productive and resilient for generations to come.
Our public lands are the foundation of healthy watersheds and strong communities. From remote trout streams to working forests and rangelands, these places provide clean water, vital trout habitat and public access for all Americans. But pressures like efforts to sell off and privatize public land threaten what makes them so valuable. We are kicking…
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One of the biggest mistakes we could make as a nation
Public lands are the anvil upon which the character of our nation was hammered out as we made our way west.
Last week, it was reported that members of Congress are considering the sale of public lands to help pay for a budget reconciliation. In response, thousands of Trout Unlimited members and supporters spoke up to defend America’s outdoor heritage. But the threat is not over. Chris Wood, TU’s president, writes about the urgency and calls…
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Public Servants: An appreciation
I could name three dozen public servants who continue to inspire and motivate me, across many federal agencies.
Celebrating the good work of our federal agency partners When I was beginning my conservation career in the 1990s, a distinguished research hydrologist named Jack King let me stay with him in Idaho for a few months. It was there I had my first (and last) artichoke. When my actual talent was betrayed by my…
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Looking for America
When I left the warm embrace of New Jersey to attend college in Vermont, I discovered public lands. I would ascend to the Green Mountain National Forest on weekends and fish for native brook trout. It was a salve for my soul. A legal challenge by Utah and other states could risk access to public…
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Creating hope again, again, and again
Remembering a stalwart of the Forest Service
Remembering a stalwart of the Forest Service If we are honest, when we are asked to take hard stands, most of us think, “What will this mean for me or my career?” Or “How or what will people think about me?” Not Jim Furnish, a stalwart of the Forest Service who passed away this week.…
Author
Chris Wood
Chris has worked at TU for 22 years, and is not the best angler, but he is among the most earnest.