EMBRACE A STREAM

The Embrace A Stream (EAS) program was established to help local Trout Unlimited (TU) chapters raise funds for the initial implementation of efforts that promote healthy coldwater fisheries in their area. The Embrace A Stream grants are highly competitive and awarded based on a project’s value to the environment, effect on wildlife habitat, chapter commitment and local resources available to support the project, among other criteria.

Embrace A Stream is a matching grant program administered by TU that since its inception in 197 has funded more than 1,080 individual projects with more than $4.75 million in direct cash grants. In 2018, a total of $123,000 was awarded to 29 chapters and councils in 19 different states from coast to coast.

5RTU AWARDED EMBRACE A STREAM grant for San juan lineage cutthroat re-introduction

In October 2019, The Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited (5RTU) received notice that it was awarded a $2,500 grant based on its proposal for the re-introduction of the San Juan Lineage Cutthroat.

“This grant will be used to help fund habitat improvement work and the introduction of the recently discovered San Juan Lineage Cutthroat (SJLC) population into Wolf Creek,” said Garret Hanks from Trout Unlimited who has helped spearhead the project. “We’re thrilled that the committee saw this as such a valuable project for such a vulnerable species and that we have the local resources committed to making this happen.”

The Wolf Creek project is a part of the first San Juan lineage cutthroat reintroduction efforts. The funds will be used to design and implement a wetland restoration and erosion control project. The project is preliminarily scheduled to begin in the summer of 2020, but baseline activities will start sooner and citizen science work will be a permanent fixture going forward, ensuring continued stewardship.

5RTU’s goal of the Wolf Creek Project is to provide climate change resiliency to the population of SJCT by implementing riparian and wetland restoration and water storage improvement techniques to positively change the timing of water delivery ultimately providing more, colder, and cleaner, water downstream at the time it’s needed most.

embrace a stream challenge

By receiving this grant, Five Rivers has also been entered into the “Embrace A Stream Challenge” fundraising contest sponsored by Orvis and Trout Unlimited. This challenge could potentially earn 5RTU a portion of the $50,000 in additional matching and prize funds. Five Rivers TU is competing in this contest with other grant winners from across the country.

“We’re excited to have the chance to raise even more money for this project,” said Buck Skillen, Five Rivers chapter president. “I think we all realize how important it is to restore and protect this unique fish and we’re hoping that our chapter members as well as the local community will help further support our efforts by donating.”

The challenge runs from 12:00 AM ET on November 4 and will close at 3:00 AM ET on November 11. Anyone can make a donation of as little as $10 to support the chapter’s work by going to https://www.embraceastream.org/organizations/fiverivers.

Only donations made by credit card, online through the above link will count in the competition for the prizes. Donations can be done on any internet enabled device.