BRTU E-News
Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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#267: Oct. 31, 2022
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Teller Refuge Education program at Nov. 17 BRTU meeting. |
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The View from Tawney's Rock. There will be a drawing for a rare copy at the Nov 17 meeting. Source: Monte Dolack Fine Art. |
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All photos courtesy Nicole Ballard. |
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The Teller Wildlife Refuge Education program will be featured at November 17 BRTU meeting at the Hamilton Elks Lodge. Join us for our second general meeting since February 2020.
Nicole Ballard, Teller Wildlife Refuge Education Program Director, will give a presentation about Nurturing Nature in the Bitterroot Valley through conservation education. In the last year, Nicole has grown the conservation education program at Teller by almost 300%. Join Nicole to learn about Teller's program and the importance of conservation education in our community.
The photos really tell the entire story about Nicole's education program at the Teller Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is one of BRTU's most enduring partners and we have worked together for close to 40 years on education, restoration and conservation projects.
Nicole recently received the prestigious Emerging Conservationist Award from the Missoula Conservation Roundtable for emerging leadership in the field of natural resource management or environmental protection through individual action and effective partnerships.
After Nicole's talk, there will be a special drawing for a copy of The View from Tawney's Rock, by Monte Dolack. This beautiful print depicts a spot on one of the Refuge streams near where Nicole teaches many classes. The prints are no longer commercially available so this is a rare chance to add one to your collection of fine conservation art. We will also be drawing for some Teller Refuge caps and all the proceeds will go to Nicole's education programs.
Nicole's presentation will start at 7:00 PM, but come down early for a beer and a chance to meet Nicole and catch up with old friends.
And remember that the public is invited to attend all BRTU events and there is no charge for admission.
Here is the list of the upcoming BRTU programs so that you can mark them down on your calendar.
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Thursday, January 19, 2023 - Casey Hackathorn, Trout Unlimited Upper Clark Fork Program Manager. Restoring Native Trout to the Upper Clark Fork.
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Thursday, February 16, 2023 - Birch Fett. Secure River Golden Dorado.
- March 2023 - pending.
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Thursday April 20, 2023. Jason Lindstrom, MFWP. Bitterroot River Report.
Be sure to mark these dates on your calendar now! The public is invited to attend all BRTU events and there is no charge for admission.
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Embrace A Stream challenge November 7-14 - we need your support for our project on Lee Metcalf! |
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Removal of this antiquated standpipe is part of the project. Source: Christine Brissette. |
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Replacement of this reed canary grass along North Burnt Fork Creek is another part of the project. With the Bitterroot's as backdrop, the students learn to keep their backcasts high. Source: Christine Brissette. |
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In July, BRTU's grant application ranked #1 in TU National's Embrace A Stream grant program and we were awarded nearly $10,000. Our project will put 450 trees and thousands of willows along North Burnt Fork Creek in fall 2023. It also builds on a major project that will remove an instream fish barrier on the Refuge, and reconnect 2.5 miles of spawning habitat. This cool video, featuring TU's Christine Brissette, explains why this project is so important.
Starting on November 7, we have the opportunity to double the size of the EAS grant that BRTU was awarded for the revegetation project on North Burnt Fork Creek as it flows through Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge - but we need your help!
You can help us turn $10,000 into $20,000! The Embrace A Stream Challenge is a week-long competition among TU chapters nationwide, all of whom were awarded an Embrace a Stream grant in 2022.Thanks to TU supporters and corporate sponsors from across the country, your donation will be doubled with matching grants of up to $500 and can unlock other cash prizes to support our project.
What if we can double that amount with an additional $10,000? Well, it would help us to purchase the plants, fencing material and pay for excavator time.
Sponsored by Trout Unlimited and leveraging a network of more than 400 local chapters and councils, the Embrace a Stream Challenge motivates all TU members and supporters, nationwide, to “Give Where You Fish” and ensure our cold water resources get the help they need now more than ever. Given that anglers across the country are drawn to the Bitterroot River, we expect this fundraiser to draw donations from far and wide.
Interested in volunteering next fall to help us plant the willows and trees and build the fences? Stay tuned for a sign up page on the BRTU website with more information!
You can preview our fundraising page here, but remember the Challenge doesn't start until November 7th. We'll send you a reminder and we will be extremely grateful for your help. But the fish will be the big beneficiaries for your support of this incredible program to restore fish migration in North Burnt Fork Creek.
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Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Up for Renewal. Don't Forget to Vote! |
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The Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program, first established and funded by voters in 2006, will be up for renewal at the November 8 election. Over the past 17 years, the Open Lands Program has funded more than 38 projects that have permanently conserved more than 10,000 acres. The program evaluates each project according to rigorous criteria through a publicly transparent approval process. Properties approved include high value agricultural land, wildlife habitat, streamside properties, as well as public recreational access and parks.
The Open Lands Program facilitates this conservation work by partially compensating willing landowners for giving up development rights on their properties. In some cases, the program has helped properties transfer into public ownership. All $10 million in bonds originally authorized to fund the program have now been sold and will soon be fully expended on projects that are now in process. Voters will decide on November 8 whether to authorize another $10 million to ensure the program can continue.
Several of these Open Lands projects are of significant value for watershed and fisheries, including Skalkaho Bend Park. BRTU was a strong advocate for this project and former BRTU President Jeremy Anderson produced an exceptional video in support of the project.
There is detailed information about Open Lands Program, including a complete inventory (with pictures) of projects approved to-date, on the Ravalli County website.
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Painted Rocks at low pool. |
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A winter view of Painted Rocks. |
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DNRC engineer Larry Schock sent this notice a few days ago:
The outflows from the reservoir will be reduced to match the inflows later this week on either Thursday or Friday. The current inflows are approximately 50 cfs and the current outflows are at 86 cfs..
The annual safety inspection of the dam will be conducted on Monday, 10/24, and it will require us to temporarily stop all outflows from the dam for approximately 1 hour so the outlet tube can be inspected.
In preparation for the shutdown, the outflows will be reduced to approximately 25-30 cfs on Sunday in order to allow the fish to temporarily move downstream and into deeper pools.
After the outlet tube has been inspected the outflows will be adjusted to match the inflows.
While there may be additional minor gate adjustments made over the next few months to maintain the outflows=inflows status, the gate adjustments associated with the inspection will be our last major adjustments until early spring.
Thank you for your time in attending to this matter.
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Bass Creek brookie. Courtesy: Seth Cooley. |
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This issue's Picture of the Week was again submitted by Seth Cooley.
A little more than a month ago, Seth was fishing on Bass Creek when he hooked this gorgeous little brook trout. Even though brook trout are not native to Montana, the photo really shows how well camouflaged a trout can be against the gravels.
Please send me any fishing or conservation related photos to be considered for the "Picture of the Week." Make sure that the files are less than 5 mB in size. Note that in most cases I plan to not to use "grip and grin" photos, but rather pictures of fish in the water or net.
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There is not a new BRTU Puzzler in this issue. I am still searching my archives for a good one.
Noone submitted an entry for this BRTU Puzzler and I am not at all surprised. The photo was submitted by Otis B. Driftwood from Hamilton. Mr. Driftwood was hiking near Baker Lake when his partner, Mrs. Claypool, noticed this specimen in the duff near the falls between Baker and Middle Lake. They had to return for a night at the opera and did not have time to look for additional ones.
Mr. Driftwood informed me that Mrs. Claypool, who fancies herself a mushroom expert, told him this was a Devil Mushroom or Clathrus archeri. However, I think Mrs. Claypool may have been ingesting some different mushrooms, because I cannot find a description of a mushroom like this occurring in Montana, nor did it appear in a May 2021 Montana Outdoors article about mushroom identification.
So, I guess that this is a real BRTU Puzzler!
The BRTU Puzzler now has a new sponsor - Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton. Chapter One is offering a $10 gift card to each winner but it must be picked up in person. The book store is a long time BRTU supporter and has an unbelievable inventory of books and magazines. If Chapter One doesn't have the tome you want, they can get it in a jiffy. Shouldn't we be patronizing local small independents rather the big online services?
If you have a cool fishing, outdoor activity, or conservation related photo, consider submitting it to BRTU Puzzlemaster Marshall Bloom for the BRTU Puzzler. BRTU E-News will no longer publish grip and grin photos of native fish out of water but will highlight photos of actual fish in the water.
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Monte Dolack BRTU prints
now available at Joe's Studio.
A small number of Publisher's Proofs of the limited edition "Bitterroot River-Lost Horse Bend" by Monte Dolack are now available at Joe's Studio. BRTU commissioned Monte Dolack in 2007 to create this iconic print of the Bitterroot River.
The remaining Publisher's Proofs are $375 and all proceeds support BRTU efforts to protect trout and streams.
Joe's Studio, a regular sponsor of our banquets, is located in Hamilton at 220 Marcus Street (961-4586, joesstudio@aol.com)
The "U" in BRTU
Unlike many groups, BTRU has no paid staff. We are an entirely volunteer organization. We are always looking for new members to get involved in projects or to join our board and assist with maintaining our focus on native fish, clean healthy streams and education. If you would like to help out, please contact BRTU Chapter President Dave Ward. We could sure use your help!
In other words, how about putting a little "U" in BRTU?
If "U" are not already a member, "U" can join TU today by going to the the BRTU website. chapter number is #080. If you have a question about your membership, please call the Montana TU office at 406-543-0054.
The BRTU Mission statement is "To conserve, protect, and restore the Bitterroot River and it's watershed," directly in line with the Montana TU mission statement.
For your information, here is a tabulation of our current hard-working BRTU officers and board members.
BOARD OFFICERS
Donna Haglund; Vice President; E-mail: haglunddonna@gmail.com
Vacant, Treasurer;
BOARD MEMBERS
Charlie Harris; E-mail: hmgharris@gmail.com
JuliAnne Thomas; E-mail: thomasjulianneh@gmail.com
Vacant; (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
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