The Krug Family Forest: A tribute to tributaries and small tracts

By Nick Sanchez and Jamie Vaughan  Urban sprawl, development and agricultural pressures have deforested much of southern Michigan. In rapidly developing areas of southern Michigan, forest and farmland loss continues to this day. Luckily, family forest owners, like the Krug Family, are taking steps to protect their forests and the important waters that flow through…

The Pecos is fishing great … for now

The lifeblood of the Village of Pecos, the Pecos River flows through public and private lands in a narrow canyon flanked by in aspen, Gambel oak, and mixed conifer. The Pecos boasts a fun salmon fly hatch in early summer, and I love how spooky the fish are in autumn, when elk bugles echo, the banks blaze with yellow cottonwoods, and the water resembles the air above, cold, clear and…

CORE Act closer to protecting the best of Colorado

An angler walks through an autumn meadow on the Thompson Divide in search of wild trout.

With a pump of their fists and a tip of their caps, Colorado sportsmen and women are celebrating another successful step toward protecting some 400,000 acres of prime public lands and commending the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources for advancing the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act out of committee this week. The legislation introduced by Colorado…

What is a tree worth?

A little girl plants a tree along New York trout stream

By Tracy Brown At Trout Unlimited, planting a tree is about so many things.  Each spring and fall hundreds of TU volunteers plant trees along our favorite and most precious coldwater streams.   It is about the trees.  It is about the trout.  And it is about engaging with the local community.   This spring in New York alone over…

New brochure highlights TU’s Driftless program

Trout Unlimited’s Driftless Area Restoration Effort is an incredible conservation success story, and one that is going as strong as ever. Highlights of the program are beautifully and succinctly captured in a new 16-page brochure produced by the program’s leaders. The brochure isn’t just a retrospective of the impact of the 15-year effort, but also…

New bill would clarify management, improve fishing in Colorado

Anglers should rejoice in the introduction of the CORE Act, particularly if they live or fish in Colorado’s iconic Gunnison Valley. The Curecanti portion of the Act, introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse, would establish permanent boundaries for the current National Recreation Area making management simpler and creating improved fishing access.   In 1965, Blue Mesa Dam was completed…

Rainscaping to help the Rogue River

By Jamie Vaughan Michigan has no shortage of freshwater lakes, rivers and streams, and local environmental groups are always collaborating to come up with creative ways to protect the precious water resources.   In western Michigan, partners joined together to create the Grand River Rainscaping Program, which is helping homeowners, landscapers and contractors learn about and incorporate green infrastructure practices…