Expanded our Trout in the Classroom program from 8 to 11 schools – covering pueblo, charter and public schools in Santa Fe, Pecos, Eldorado and Penasco. Students get environmental, water chemistry and fish biology lessons raising them from eggs to fry to young fish, and learn about the macro-invertebrates (small insects that trout eat) that signal healthy streams when they have field trips in the spring to release their fish.
Conservation and Community Activities
Taught a beginner Lady’s Fly Fishing School in conjunction with New Mexico Game and Fish Dept. to increase awareness and recruit new people to appreciate outdoor recreation in New Mexico.
Provided funding on El Rito Creek to fix a barrier that protects the endangered indigenous state fish (Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout) from aggressive introduced species that can outcompete them for habitat.
Raised money to purchase game cameras for Rio Cebolla and San Antonio River meadows, where we are working with cattle ranchers to meet their needs and those of the stream’s fish population.
Sponsored and provided volunteers for Casting for Recovery, that provided healing through outdoor activity for women recovering from breast cancer.
Provide funding for Riversource, a locally owned organization that promotes good stewardship of local waterways through youth education and ecological restoration projects
Negotiated a water rights lease for Trout Springs Ranch, a first of its kind program to reserve water use for our wildlife similar to programs that lease water for agricultural purposes
Sponsored and volunteered our time for youth fly fishing days with local guide Vidal Gonzalez to provide fly fishing outings for Hispanic and indigenous children to help them respect their long heritage as stewards of the land and water in their native lands (Santa Cruz Lake and Cow Creek Ranch)
Initiated a new Truchas Scholarship for a public high school graduate in Santa Fe interested in pursuing a STEM education.
Assist in stocking endangered Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout in Rio Costilla / Willow Creek.