Our flagship program, Trout in the Classroom, has expanded this year to now include 16 schools in Santa Fe and surrounding areas (Penasco, Las Vegas, Los Alamos). This program connects school age children from K-12 to our cold water fisheries and introduces them to trout conservation. It is only possible through the volunteer hours that members give to ensure future generations of stewards.
Please consider adding yourself to the call list for volunteer activities; this is not an obligation to be available on a certain day, but just puts you on the list requesting volunteers when they are needed – primarily in January and May. If you can volunteer sometimes, please email the Truchas TIC Coordinator, Mike Jozwiakowski, at [email protected] to get on the mailing list.
In January, volunteers are needed to help distribute rainbow trout eggs to participating schools (instructions are available for new volunteers), this only takes 1-2 hours depending on what school you service. In late April to early May, we do half-day field trips with the schools to release the larger fish into local waters – this takes about 3 volunteers per day and there are about a dozen field trip days. Some volunteers pick up the fish at the school for safe transport (ice and oxygen) and others collect macroinvertebrates in the release water to display wild trout food to the kids and assess water quality. All equipment is provided, and you not only help kids learn, but it can be fun and educational for the volunteers as well.
Help us connect Truchas Chapter to our community with this worthwhile activity!
— Mike Jozwiakowski, Director & Youth Education Chair
