Projects

 Whether its tying willow bundles for a stream bank

 restoration, assisting biologists with data collection

 or teaching others to fish,  you can find 

TU volunteers involved! 

Wyoming Trout Unlimited is working with local community groups, landowners, businesses, and state and federal agencies to implement a variety of  on the ground conservation projects, influence state and national policy and create a welcoming climate for native and wild trout conservation.  Each project contributes to protecting important headwaters, restoring critical habitat areas, recconnecting vital stream segments or sustaining our natural fisheries resources into the future through public outreach and education.  This Protect-Reconnect-Restore-Sustain model guides Trout Unlimited's current and future work.  Each of the components of this model is described below and provides a link to some specific work TU and Wyoming TU is taking on.

The headwaters of Cottonwood Creek, a key Colorado cutthroat trout stream, is in the heart of the Wyoming Range.  TU's Backcountry Coordinator and author, Tom Reed, spent 10 days on horseback in the Range, read about his experience here.

Protect

Cool, crisp, clean, pristine.  Wyoming's high elevation streams and the land they wander through are natural assets to the citizens of Wyoming.  They provide our communities with high quality drinking water, they provide family recreation opportunities, they define the wild country that Wyoming is known for.  And as hunters and fishers know, these streams provide high-class habitat to the state's fish and wildlife inhabitants.  Keeping these high country refuges intact is critical to the survival of our native trout populations.   Wyoming Trout Unlimited advocates for responsible use and protection of these areas, realizing that sometimes the best way to help something is to leave it alone.

Learn more about Wyoming TU's PROTECT projects.

Reconnect

Dewatered Grade Creek is was once a tributary to the Smiths Fork in Western WY.  TU is working with landowners to bring water back to this former trout stream.

As Wyoming residents, we all know what its like to be stuck in our house because snow hinders travel.  For a day its fun, for two days its ok, and then it gets frustrating as we realize we need to get to the store for food, and to work to make a living.  Fish are similar creatures.  They too need to travel up and down in watersheds in order to find food, successful spawning grounds and a place to survive Wyoming's extreme weather patterns.  Scientists have recently realized  just how important movement is to the ability of a fish species to survive. 

People's use of dams, water, and land have influenced trouts ability to  move from cool headwater streams to the food laden waters of lower elevations. Wyoming Trout Unlimited is working with landowners, agencies, other organizations and policy makers to improve fish passage and reconnect these important trout habitats.

Click here to learn more about Wyoming Trout Unlimited's RECONNECT programs.

Restore

As the old saying goes, we live and then we learn.  When working in the natural resource field, this rings true time and time again.  Development, agriculture, roads, recreation, and many other human actions  and in actions have taken their toll on our streams and their trout populations.  Practices we once thought to be 'good for the fish' are now known to cause harm.  Wyoming Trout Unlimited volunteers are working with scientists, biologists and other organizations to restore many miles of stream throughout Wyoming.  These actions are creating and enhancing trout habitat in critical areas. 

Click here to learn more about Wyoming Trout Unlimited's RESTORE projects.

Above, Bob Capron, of the East Yellowstone Chapter works on a trail construction project.  This project reduces erosion into the nearby river while increasing community awarness of trout fishing.

Sustain

The trout conservation work done today quickly fades if the next generation of  Wyoming citizens doesn't know or care about trout and their values.  On this principle, Wyoming TU is taking steps to engage today's youth and other adult leaders in cold-water conservation.  We do that by visiting school classrooms, working with 4H groups, hosting youth fishing camps, and supporting youth fishing clubs.

In addition to working with youth we strive to reach out to other groups that may not be familiar with coldwater conservation issues.  We talk to community groups, organize fly fishing days, host guest speakers, and participate in events.  For example,  The East Yellowstone Chapter, in Cody, hosts a Women's Fly Fishing Workshop each spring. Topics of the workshop include entamology, casting techniques, fly tying and stream morphology.  And they even get to catch a few fish!  To learn more visit the East Yellowstone Chapter webpage.

 Click here to learn more about Wyoming Trout Unlimited's SUSTAIN programs.

Want to get involved? 

Twelve different local Trout Unlimited Chapters are active across the state.  Additional projects are highlighted on our Wyoming Trout Unlimited Chapter pages and in the TROUTTALE, our tri-annual newsletter.

Contact us to find out how you can help out at a project happening near you.  If there isn't a local chapter in your area, let us know...We are always ready to help volunteers get a chapter started near their homewaters.