Conservation

You may have heard about the Obama administration’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, which argues that

[L]asting conservation solutions should rise from the American people–that the protection of our natural heritage is a non-partisan objective shared by all Americans. AGO recognizes that many of the best ideas come from outside of Washington. Instead of dictating policies, this initiative turns to communities for local, grassroots conservation initiatives. Instead of growing bureaucracy, it calls for. . .

Restoration of spawning creeks is vital to the health of the Clark Fork River

As part of our Orvis Commitment to Protect Nature, we’ve joined forces in 2011 with The Clark Fork Coalition and Trout Unlimited to jump start restoration in the Upper Clark Fork watershed.

You can team with us to help restore vital spawning tributaries Cottonwood, Racetrack, and Rock creeks. In a matching funds grant with a goal of $60,000, we’ll match your contribution dollar for dollar. The restoration work focuses on flow restoration, fish passage, connectivity, habitat enhancement, and forest-watershed management projects with the goal of achieving complete, long-lasting health for these vital spawning tributaries.

Back in September, we posted about the dangers to trout habitat in the Northeast as the result of increased “hydrofracking” in the region. Here’s a video that offers some frightening anecdotes about damage already done, as well as a chilling vision of the future of Pennsylvania and New York. Unlike the Pebble Mine battle, this fight must be waged against multiple companies in multiple locations. The fact that these extraction operations offer cash payouts to landowners and good-paying. . .

As director of Trout Unlimited’s Alaska Program, Tim Bristol has been on the front lines of the fight against the proposed Pebble Mine.

photo courtesy Tim Bristol

In light of last week’s decision by the EPA to assess the potential impacts of large-scale development on the Bristol Bay watershed, I asked Trout Unlimited’s Alaska Program director, Tim Bristol (no relation to the bay of the same name), if he wouldn’t mind answering a few question.

1. Can you give us a brief overview of where the Pebble Project right now? What is the Pebble Partnership doing?

Pebble is claiming to still be in the pre-permitting phase; they have yet to file for permits. At the same time, they continue to give presentations on the the
tremendous size of the ore body, with recent estimates saying Pebble could generate up to 9 billion tons of waste rock. So, at this time, . . .

Last week, we let you know about the EPA’s plans to assess the Bristol Bay watershed in order to understand how future large-scale development like the proposed Pebble Mine may affect its water quality and the bay’s salmon fishery.

We also asked you to give the EPA your input through our easy Take Action page.

Boy did you.

Approximately 6,000 of you sent nearly 23,000 emails to over 550 representatives in DC and to the EPA telling them to use their authority to protect Bristol Bay. We thank you for that.

If you did not get the chance last week, we encourage you to go to the Take Action page now to let the EPA know this resource is too important and rare to risk having the world’s largest open pit mine situated at its headwaters.

The largest run of wild sockeye salmon in the world is just one of the natural wonders threatened by the proposed Pebble Mine.

Ever since the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would assess the Bristol Bay watershed to understand how future large-scale development may affect water quality and the bay’s salmon fishery, opponents of the proposed Pebble mine project have cranked up the pressure on elected officials to get behind the EPA’s effort. If you haven’t already, please take the time to send an email to your state’s members in Congress, asking them to support the effort.

For those who haven’t been following the Pebble Mine debate since it first entered the angling-public consciousness in 2007, here are some links to get you up to speed and to help. . .

“Finally, the break we’ve been looking for is here!”— Perk Perkins, CEO, The Orvis Company

We’ve just learned the EPA plans to assess the Bristol Bay watershed to understand how future large-scale development may affect water quality and Bristol Bay’s salmon fishery. This is a pivotal step toward protecting this pristine region from the proposed Pebble Mine. Frankly, it’s a step that may not have happened if not for partners like TU and The Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska, and sportsmen and women such as yourselves working non-stop to help protect the area.

Part of the EPA’s process is to get public input. We encourage you to send your input today to let the EPA know the value you place on the wild resources of this magnificent region.

We’ve been following the battle to keep “megaloads” of oil-refinery equipment off scenic highways in Idaho and Montana (see previous stories here and here) for a couple months now. As this news report from Idaho makes clear, the very first attempt to move one of the giant drums. . .

Olive Ridley sea turtles, raised in a nursery at Nicaragua’s Los Cardones Lodge, head for the ocean where they can live for as long as 80 years. photo by Meg & Patrick Keller

My wife, Meg, and I decided to take a break from the Vermont cold and head south for Christmas. The plan was to meet my brother, his girlfriend and our soon-to-be friend Bill off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua for some fishing and diving. Our good friend Brett mentioned that we should make an effort to spend a few days on the Pacific side, as well, at an eco-surf lodge called. . .

All sportsmen and women understand their obligation to conservation—without the resource, we have nothing. Many great organizations operate around the globe working hard to serve the species, habitats and ecosystems that need our immediate attention. To do our part, we find a compelling effort, and if possible, give them our time, money, sweat, endorsement, or whatever we can afford. Flip through the Orvis catalog or browse the website and you’ll find a handful of environmental projects well worth backing.