New position filled for the Upper Bear River Project Manager

By JIM DeRITO Bear River Project Manager

Trout Unlimited (TU) is pleased to announce that Mike Fiorelli has accepted the new position of Upper Bear River Project Manager. Mike will start in the position inApril.

The position will cover the Bear River Basin from the headwaters in the Uinta Mountains down river to the Idaho state line. Work will be focused on protection, reconnection, and restoration actions equally across the states of Utah and Wyoming.

Funding support is being provided by several large multi-state federal grants in the basin from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

As an example, TU is partnering on a $4.2M collaborative aquatic landscape restoration program with the Uinta-WasatchCache National Forest that will improve fish passage and restore stream habitat using process-based restoration techniques throughout the headwaters.

Mike currently works for TU as the Uinta Basin Project Manager based in Vernal, Utah. He has been in this position for over three years where he has excelled at developing relationships with landowners, water rights holders, and tribal partners to implement restoration projects.

Previously, he worked for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in Vernal as a fisheries biologist where he completed research, monitoring, and restoration for threatened native aquatic species throughout the Lower Green River Drainage for over seven years.

Mike began his career working as a fisheries technician for two seasons for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in the Green River office.

Mike received a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Clarion University in Pennsylvania, his home state. He grew up fly fishing the renowned springs creeks in that state. He’s an avid outdoorsman and enjoys being on the water and in the mountains with his wife, Valarie, and their four dogs. He also enjoys coaching high school football.