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Call to Action for brook trout restoration:
The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture will be successful when people, organizations, businesses,
foundations, and scientists work together to conserve and restore brook trout. By doing so, we will
promote healthy streams, lands, wildlife and people. This is about handing off a vibrant gift, the
brook trout, to future generations.
The individual’s role:
Be the eyes and ears: Be observant of streams and changes. Sometimes these changes can be subtle,
like changes in color. Sometimes they can be overt like channelization, damming and poor land management.
Contact your state wildlife agency when you see something that doesn’t look right. Being the eyes and
ears for the professionals extends and focuses the outreach and education efforts to the right audience.
Get involved in land use decisions: Planning boards, conservation districts, townships, counties
and most public land management agencies ask for public input. Be there and ask the question “How does
this affect brook trout?” Provide support for brook trout and efforts to improve brook trout habitat.
Educate yourself: The Joint Venture website contains lots of practical, usable information about
brook trout and brook trout conservation. Educate yourself, then use your education to inform, influence
and instill brook trout conservation into decisions involving brook trout or its habitat.
Donate your time to do stream work: Get involved with monitoring, restoration, watershed planning
or resource boards. The website www.easternbrooktrout.net has a list of contacts for each state – use it.
The conservation organization’s role:
Support Brook Trout: Brook trout are a notable keystone species because they indicate other
conservation needs are being met.
Join the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture: The structure of the Joint Venture is designed to
allow organizations to participate at the most appropriate level -- from range-wide to project level.
Find the niche that best fits your organization.
Read the Eastern Brook Trout Conservation Strategy: Many organizations share conservation goals
with the brook trout. Knowing how the Joint Venture works at all levels will provide many partnering
opportunities for mutual benefits between non-traditional partners.
The watershed association’s role:
Determine if your watershed is within the historical brook trout range: Contact your state
wildlife agency to determine if brook trout are present, or historically were present, within the
boundaries of your watershed. If so, then the ultimate success of the organization’s goals might be
intact populations of wild brook trout.
Read the Brook Trout Conservation Strategy: There may be common interests between your watershed
goals and the goals of the Joint Venture. In fact, your project could receive funding and resources
from the Joint Venture or its partners. Work with your state agencies to take advantage of the resources
available.
Educate the membership: The motivation and momentum of watershed activity is the membership. The
Joint Venture has several educational offerings at the web site available at no cost, including
presentation materials.
The business’ role:
Implement brook trout friendly policies: Corporate policies that are brook trout habitat-friendly
can make an enormous contribution to success of the restoration of brook trout, and may qualify for tax
incentives. Depending on your activity, conscientious business planning can substantially minimize impact
and improve brook trout habitat.
Contribute your expertise or resources: Businesses have many varied and valuable assets and
specialties that could support this program. From public relations talent to equipment rental,
conservation easements to corporate volunteer programs, business contributions are needed and highly
valued.
Donate matching funds: Many grants and federal programs need local private match funds. Business
contributions can be leveraged by as much as 900% for certain programs used with the restoration
activities surrounding brook trout. Consider donating to this cause, and use the donation for tax
reduction purposes.
All individuals, organizations, associations and businesses have the opportunity to make a choice and
help this movement meet the vision of healthy, fishable brook trout populations throughout their
historical range.
Here are a few easy ways to take action and get involved with the Easter Brook Trout Joint Venture,
a Fish Habitat Partner:
Stay informed
Get email updates on funding, projects and action taken under the EBTJV Conservation Strategy.
Sign up now.
Join the Partner Coalition
As a Partner Coalition member, your conservation agency or organization will be listed on EasternBrookTrout.org
with a link to your Web site. Join now.
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