The Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited has officially adopted its 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, a five-year roadmap that recommits the chapter to its core mission: conserving, protecting, and restoring northern New Mexico’s cold-water fisheries and the watersheds that sustain them. The plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on February 11, 2026, and lays out a practical, ambitious vision for the work ahead.
At the heart of the plan is a strong conservation agenda centered on native trout recovery and watershed health. Truchas Chapter will focus significant energy on conserving, protecting, and restoring Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout in key watersheds within their native New Mexico range, with particular emphasis on the Pecos watershed. The plan calls for stronger collaboration with state and federal agencies, support for citizen-science and restoration efforts, protection of Pecos River water quality, and a push to have the Upper Pecos Watershed recognized as a Trout Unlimited priority water by 2027. It also sets a concrete goal of helping carry out 10 Pecos watershed conservation activities by the end of 2031.
The strategic plan also places major emphasis on youth education as essential to the future of cold-water conservation. Truchas Chapter plans to expand Trout in the Classroom from 13 participating schools to 18–20 schools, increase the number of classrooms raising Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, grow scholarship support, and create more opportunities for students to connect directly with rivers, fisheries, and habitat restoration. The plan also includes field trips, summer intern education, and new partnerships with other organizations to broaden outdoor learning opportunities for young people across the chapter’s region.
This work reflects the chapter’s broader vision: that by the next generation, native and wild cold-water fish will once again thrive across their New Mexico range, and that today’s young people will become tomorrow’s stewards of healthy home waters. That vision is grounded in values that emphasize science, collaboration, innovation, stewardship, and youth engagement.
The plan also includes goals related to fundraising, membership, communications, and leadership development, all intended to support long-term mission delivery. But the throughline is clear: protect native trout, strengthen watersheds, and invest in the next generation of conservationists.
Read the full 2026–2031 Strategic Plan and see how Truchas Chapter is working to protect native trout, restore northern New Mexico watersheds, and inspire the next generation of river stewards. Download the PDF here:
