What is CONSERVATION?

Conservation is defined as the prevention of wasteful use of a resource and the preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment and of wildlife.

Conservation begins by building a true partnership between landowners, agencies, municipalities, fellow non-profits, and all stakeholders within a community. The Washington Council of Trout Unlimited works to protect critical habitat, reconnect and restore degraded waterways, and revitalize depleted native populations in our state’s watersheds. Relying on science, historical records, and the support of our communities, we prioritize the conservation of vitally important habitats depended on by our fish, wildlife, and people.

Through its participation in the National Leadership Council (NLC), the Washington Council and its representative helps inform and develop Trout Unlimited’s National Conservation Agenda, driving conservation and restoration efforts across the United States.

Fisheries Management

To care for our native fisheries means approaching their conservation with a vision for the entire watershed, from headwaters to deltas. Supporting the protection of clean water and responsible fisheries management on national, regional, and local levels enables Trout Unlimited to preserve this precious resource not only across the nation, but in our own backyards. Through acquiring funding, protecting native fish strongholds, advocating for sustainable fishing regulations, and strategically partnering with state and tribal hatcheries, we can ensure native and wild fish will be present for generations to come. Learn more about TU’s Fisheries Management here.

Land management and development

The intentional preservation of healthy, uninterrupted habitat for wildlife is vitally important for maintaining high-quality hunting and fishing opportunities. Through responsible land management and development, TU aims to find the delicate balance between sustainable human development and maintaining these natural resources. By focusing on collaboration with stakeholder groups, the greater community, and policy makers, we can preserve our invaluable wilderness and the services they provide. Partnerships, funding, protection, and enforcing responsible land use will keep irreplaceable habitat thriving and accessible to the public. Discover more about TU’s Land Management and Development strategies here.

Watershed restoration

In approaching restoration from not only individual rivers, streams, and lakes, but whole watersheds, it becomes possible to address the source of degraded water quality and habitat beyond the area that the impact is most obvious. In these complex, miles-long systems, changes upstream can have dramatic effects downstream, including changes in water flow, the movement of sediment, and the populations of plants and animals that are able to survive and thrive there. TU works to rebuild and strengthen fishery habitats by finding and reducing sources of pollution and potentially harmful runoff from agriculture and stormwater, limiting erosion through re-vegetation and stabilization of river and stream banks, removing barriers to fish passage, and reconnecting waterways to their natural paths and floodplains. Explore TU’s nationwide projects in Watershed Restoration by clicking here.

Water management

As far as natural resources go, water is among the most critical for every living system on our planet. TU works with local landowners, community leaders, state policy makers, and national leadership to find a balance between the needs of fish and wildlife and the requirements of human communities and agriculture. Through building relationships and partnerships with water rights holders, ranchers, landowners, and agencies, it has not only become easier to reconnect and restore altered waterways, but to forge new bonds and collaborations in the name of finding equitable, sustainable solutions for all. Learn more about TU’s Water Management here.

Climate Change

In the face of evolving weather patterns and changes in the world’s conditions, climate change has a clear impact on our coldwater fisheries and the salmon and trout we seek in them. Warming temperatures, prolonged droughts, extreme floods, and wildfires create a need for action and response, and TU is determined to be at the forefront of building awareness and taking the steps needed to protect fish species and habitats most effected by climate change. Restoring and reconnecting habitat, advocating for policy change, and building knowledge through research and science gives us the ability to bolster resilient fisheries, which can stand strong in the face of these challenges. With the help of our communities, we can ensure these fish remain in our watersheds for generations to come and look optimistically towards a future that is safer for all of us. Investigate TU’s Climate Change efforts and reports here.

Science

Relying on the best available science, TU advocates for the protection, re-connection, restoration, and sustaining of coldwater fisheries and their watersheds as one of the nation’s foremost aquatic conservation organizations. With over 30 scientists networking across the nation, we conduct research alongside collaborative organizations to create strong, data-backed conservation plans and reports to support policy changes and action. Partnering with staff, our grassroots membership, and other conservation groups, we utilizing monitoring and evaluation to make our efforts efficient and effective. Out in the field, our conservation research allows us to see the impact of conservation efforts, compare records of historical changes to watersheds, and verify our predictions, giving us the means to plan ongoing and future efforts needed to maintain our coldwater fisheries. We also strive to make the results of our studies not only readily available to the greater conservation and scientific community, but to everyone from resource managers and policy makers to our staff, volunteers, and school kids. Discover all of TU’s Science programs and efforts here.

Outreach and Education

At TU, we believe that conservation is a cause for people of all ages, and that it begins with opportunity and education. Through our Headwaters Youth Program, Trout in the Classroom, and other programs, we engage kids, teens, and young adults by introducing them to trout and salmon, stream restoration projects, and other ways to learn about the habitats they share with other species. By encouraging exploration of the outdoors and passing on skills in fishing, stream studying, and responsible recreation, we can inspire the next generation of conservationists to continue protecting our beautiful wilderness.

As a way to give back to those who have served our nation and our communities, TU has developed a Service Partnership program, in which we welcome first responders, members of the military community, and their families to join us in our efforts to protect our beloved fisheries. Through building meaningful friendships, trading skills, and providing a welcoming, inclusive environment, we hope to provide a meaningful refuge in sharing our passion for the peace and therapeutic qualities of conservation and angling. If you are a First Responder or a member of the Military community, please enjoy a free 1-year introductory membership to TU here.

Learn more about TU’s Outreach and Education programs here.