Support Good Work

A brief departure from the photo posts today, but for good reason. The end of the calendar year is a time for many to consider their charitable giving. I am taking this opportunity to urge all of you to give a little something to an organization, or organizations, that are working hard to conserve, protect and sustain the things we enjoy most: fish, and their habitat.

Following is a list of organizations that I support (in no particular order), and a brief explanation why. If something here piques your interest, I urge you to click on the link and find out more for yourself. While every donor dollar makes a difference, it is the awareness that comes from learning about these good works that is truly the most important investment. I'd enjoy hearing about other groups out there that you support, and why. No matter which direction you choose to go, be assured that you're making a solid investment in our collective future. Alongside you, I'm proud and humbled to be a part of a community of anglers so passionate and committed to the resource.

Trout Unlimited
Full disclosure: I work for Trout Unlimited. That said, I've been a full dues-paying life member since 2001. No other organization is more closely linked to my personal passions with as broad a scope. From the Appalachians to the Pacific Northwest, TU puts donated dollars to work on the ground, while also linking those hands-on projects to meaningful resource management policies and regulations at the state and federal levels. TU is action and results; it is friends and family; it is, and will continue to be, the most powerful voice for coldwater resource conservation in the country.

Native Fish Society
This group is dedicated to ensuring the future of wild salmon, steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout. The Native Fish Society pursues its vital mission through hatchery reforms, Endangered Species Act advocacy, and the development and application of sound science in fisheries management. They do this with a relatively meager budget and very low overhead. If you've ever fished the rivers of the Pacific Northwest for steelhead, you know just how important and magical those wild fish are. For all that these rivers and their fish provide, give a little back by becoming a member of the Native Fish Society.

Western Rivers Conservancy
Western Rivers is a group I've supported for several years now, and I continue to be impressed by the results they earn. Theirs is a somewhat unique approach in the non-profit conservation realm, a hybrid that blends traditional land trust / conservancy "protection" tactics with an additional emphasis on comprehensive conservation strategies for crucial watersheds throughout the West. Western Rivers aggressively pursues its objectives not only in the Pacific Northwest, but also in the Intermountain West, with current projects in Montana, Colorado and Utah. Even if you're as-yet unfamiliar with this group, consider this: In 2011, WRC permanently protected sixteen river miles on the lower John Day River in Oregon, and began the process of conveying it to the State of Oregon. It is scheduled to open in 2013 as a State Park, thus making available sixteen river miles of fishing to the public. That's a big win, and that's the kind of results you can expect from Western Rivers Conservancy.

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
Bonefish, permit and tarpon are species that many fly anglers dream about. All it takes is one experience - one introduction to those turquoise flats, one heart-thumping shot at a tailing fish - and you understand why this version of saltwater fly fishing is so storied and revered. Yet, amazingly little is known about these fish, their habits and patterns, their genetics, and the intricacies of the habitat that supports their populations. The Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is the lone organization working at every level to better understand these mysterious species and their importance through science, and then applying that knowledge to protect and sustain them. In Belize, for instance, a BTT study revealing the economic contribution of these species alone helped motivate the Belizean government to make catch and release mandatory for all bonefish, permit and tarpon. That's a huge and positive step.

Alaska Sportsmans Alliance
NO PEBBLE MINE. Period. This group, working along with Trout Unlimited's Alaska Program, is one of the on-the-ground resources working every day to prevent the Pebble Mine from being developed. If you're anything like me, and value Alaska's vast natural beauty as a piece of our national heritage, pitch in and help put this ridiculous and greedy ploy to rest. Forever.