From TU 678: Trout Unlimited, McKenzie-Upper Willamette #678 is re-starting chapter activities!
There will be a meeting on April 10th, at 7:00 pm in the Vista Conference Room at Symantec, 555 International Way, Springfield, OR 97477. Please use the East “Visitor” entrance. There will be TU members on hand to direct you to the meeting room.
Below is a letter from our new Oregon Council Chair, Terry Turner:
Dear McKenzie-Upper Willamette #678 TU Members,
I’m both pleased and excited to report to you that several members from your chapter have reached out to the Oregon Council of TU for some assistance in re-starting chapter activities in your area. After several meetings and lot’s of emails, we are ready to begin chapter meetings and project work once again.
The chapter members that have volunteered to assist getting things started again will need your support. The fundamental work of selecting new chapter leaders, creating a set of bylaws and an updated strategic plan are not always flashy, but they are important steps in ensuring that the chapter continues to operate consistently and serve the members well. Chapters are only as strong as the leadership and member support make it. The Oregon Council is available to support your efforts with materials and planning assistance as needed.
Some good things are happening around the state.
-The new Blueback Chapter in Corvallis is up and running with a lot of momentum and enthusiasm. Kyle Smith, chapter president, is also our new National Leadership Council rep from Oregon. Kyle attended the Western Regional meeting in Reno this month.
-The Deschutes Chapter is doing some groundbreaking work on Tumalo Creek, demonstrating the importance of this stream to survival of Redsides Rainbows in the Deschutes River.
-The Tualatin Valley Chapter completed the 3rd year of Christmas Trees for Coho which provides critical habitat for coho fry in the Necanicum River. This program received national coverage and is looking to expand next season.
-The Clackamas Chapter is on it’s 9th season of its Youth Conservation and Fly Fishing Camp. This is the only overnight camping experience of any TU camp in the nation. The Clackamas Chapter also is providing valuable representation on the PGE Fish Committee, implementing the latest FERC relicensing mitigation plan.
The new Wild North Coast Chapter in Astoria is working closely with TVTU on joint management of the ongoing work on the Necanicum River and other streams on the N. Coast.
The McKenzie-Upper Willamette Chapter has contributed some outstanding work on fish issues in the McKenzie watershed and I’m confident this work will continue in the near future. We’re all pulling for the same goals; Improving Coldwater Fisheries Habitat in Oregon. The McKenzie-Upper Willamette Chapter is critical to achieving these goals.
New Seaside Chapter
TU’s second new Oregon chapter in less than a year is now up and running on the North Coast. The Wild North Coast Chapter (#213) became legal early in March, and joins the Bluebacks Chapter in Corvallis as new additions to TU’s growing grassroots network across the Beaver State. Local representation in the places TU works and advocates for is the key to conservation success. The Wild North Coast Chapter service area runs roughly from Rockaway north to Astoria, serving critical wild fish watersheds like the Nehalem, Necanicum and Ecola Creek. WNCTU, or the “Mossbacks” as they’ve taken to calling themselves, sprouted from roots in existing partnerships with prominent North Coast conservation anchor groups like the Necanicum Watershed Council, North Coast Land Conservancy and Tualatin Valley TU.
Most of the Mossbacks’ leadership, in fact, are active in one or more of those partner organizations already, and have been active for years in dozens of local habitat restoration and reconnection projects. Adding another organized group into that existing network of partnership working on the ground in these critical watersheds should only increase the local conservation horsepower working on behalf of the coldwater fish, watersheds and communities of the North Coast.
For information on meetings, activities or how to become involved, drop an email to wildnorthcoasttu@gmail.com.
I’m planning on attending and if there is time in the schedule, I’d like to discuss some of the campaigns and activities we’re working on at the SCP in our area as well as the potential for grassroots engagement with projects of importance to members in our area. Easy mends, Dean (541) 214-0642