HEADWATERS PROGRAM THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

Navigating CTU’s Headwaters Program Through the Pandemic

by Bianca McGrath-Martinez

Colorado Trout Unlimited’s vision is that our work will ensure that robust populations of native and wild coldwater fish once again thrive within their original Colorado range, so that our children can enjoy healthy fisheries in their homewaters. Our hope is that this effort is sustained by delivering programming that instills a strong conservation ethic in Colorado’s youth. CTU and its chapters typically offer more than 50 individual programs and nearly 100 events across the state annually. With 24 local chapters and over 6,600 volunteer hours, our footprint has enabled us to engage thousands of youth by getting them outdoors and engaged in environmental stewardship. Due to an unusual year with pandemic and social distancing orders, Colorado Trout Unlimited and its chapters have been forced to be creative and resilient in efforts to deliver and maintain youth engagement.

At the time that the pandemic started having a significant impact in Colorado, our Trout in the Classroom teachers were gearing up to have their fish disease tested before being released by their students in a local river or stream. The Trout in the Classroom program allows teachers and students to raise trout from eggs in an aquarium setting, giving their students the opportunity to see the full life cycle of a trout while exploring water quality and other environmental factors that are key to trout survival.

In an effort to flatten the curve, the state quickly shut down, and teachers in Colorado were no longer allowed access to their classrooms or trout tanks. Since our teachers suddenly did not have the option to release their fish and had no idea when they would see their fish again, they had to choose between euthanization or hoping for the best. A group of teachers in the Little Public School District had just sadly come to the decision to euthanize their fish when something amazing happened that gave their trout a second chance at life, allowing these teachers to deliver good news to their students who have become very invested in these trout. You can hear the full story here on Trouts Fly Fishing’s podcast, The CURRENTS, hosted by Will Rice.

This month, Colorado Trout Unlimited would have been holding the 15th annual River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp in Almont, Colorado. After weeks of discussion amongst the camp’s volunteers and staff members, the decision was made to cancel the camp to ensure the good health and safety of our volunteer camp counselors and campers. The majority of our camp volunteers have been involved since its creation, and did not want to see a summer pass where our camp applicants went without an opportunity like this. The camp’s Director, Barbara Luneau, along with long-time camp volunteers, Dick Shinton, Larry Quilling, and Mark Hanson, worked to put together a series of virtual events called TU Teens LIVE.

The five-week event will occur over the months of June and July, and will consist of a variety of topics that would typically be covered at the in-person camp. Participants will get a virtual tour of a Colorado Parks and Wildlife hatchery, learn more about their watershed, determine how to select their fly based on macroinvertebrates, and meet a panel of people who have careers in water conservation or fishing. Learn more about the event here.

As have most organizations that provide hands-on, environmental education programming, Colorado Trout Unlimited has been faced with many challenges due to the pandemic and social distancing. With the help of dedicated Trout Unlimited volunteers and people passionate about protecting cold-water fish, we have been able to persist through these challenging times.

To Learn More. To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit coloradotu.org.