Streams across Monroe County are cleaner and healthier thanks to countless volunteers with Brodhead Chapter Trout Unlimited who contributed more than 2,100 hours of service to the mission of this national conservation organization from October 2016 to September 2017.
With 5 conservation projects protecting, restoring, and repairing rivers, and over 20 education and outreach programs and activities to engage community in conservation that were held from Blakeslee to Delaware Water Gap and from Skytop to Saylorsburg.
“Trout Unlimited’s philosophy is simple and powerful. If you take care of the water, the fishing will take care of itself,” said Todd Burns, President of the Brodhead Chapter Trout Unlimited which serves Monroe County. “We are a community of people who care deeply about our local rivers and the trout and other wildlife that need clean, healthy rivers to survive and we’re willing to roll up our sleeves to ensure those rivers are in better shape for our children and grandchildren.”
Learn more about the accomplishments of the Chapter’s volunteers over the last year, about plans for the next year.
Accomplishments
Here in Monroe County projects and programs that improved rivers, engaged local communities and educated youth were broad and diverse in their location and impact. They included:
-- Restored 2,000 feet of the Pocono Creek in Tannersville;
-- Restored 300 feet of the Cherry Creek near Stroudsburg;
-- Monitored the physical and chemical properties of two streams in Monroe County as part of the Coldwater Conservation Corps Program;
-- Investigated and monitored for potential impacts from a sewage treatment plant in Snydersville;
-- Participated in to garbage clean-up efforts in Tannersville and Stroudsburg;
-- Improved access to public open space properties in Tannersville;
-- Installed signage promoting the catch and release of wild trout in Tannersville and Paradise Valley;
-- Provided financial support for Monroe County Conservation District Programs and advocated to strengthen their environmental program;
-- Provided financial and volunteer support for the Monroe County Youth Field Day;
-- Partnered with the Kunkletown Major Paul Syverson Veterans Sanctuary to help veterans heal and recover from the trauma of combat through therapeutic fly fishing lessons and 10 fishing trips;
-- Educated more than 20 students of Pocono Mountain East School District on the importance of clean water through the Trout In The Classroom (TIC) Program;
-- Provided a women’s only fly fishing course in Neola;
-- Taught fly fishing to more than 20 youth campers at the Monroe County Conservation Camp in Marshalls Creek and sponsored two campers to the camp;
-- Sponsored a local camper at the Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp;
-- Provided a fishing opportunity for more than 80 children with a Fishing Contest held in conjunction with the Knights of Columbus in Stroudsburg;
-- Provided 10 public meetings on Conservation and Fishing topics in Bartonsville; and
-- Held more than a dozen fly fishing and fly tying classes in Bartonsville, Neola, and Stroudsburg.
These projects and so many more were thanks to the members and volunteers of the chapter and the many of supporters who provide the time, talent and resources to make Monroe County’s rivers healthier.
Plans For Next Year
For 2017 and 2018 the Brodhead Chapter Trout Unlimited already has a busy schedule planned. In addition to our usual slate of conservation, educational, and youth activities the chapter is planning the following large scale projects--
-- Restore 2700 additional linear feet of Cherry Creek in Stroudsburg;
-- Restore 1000 linear feet of the Tobyhanna Creek in Blakeslee and provide signage for catch and release fishing in cooperation with Tobyhanna Township;
-- Restore an additional 500 linear feet of the Pocono Creek in Tannersville by partnering with the Brodhead Creek Regional Authority and the Pocono Heritage Land Trust, along signage promoting catch and release fishing;
-- Monitor and document the impacts of previous years habitat improvements on the Pocono and Cherry Creeks;
-- Looking into partnering with the Monroe County Conservation District for riparian buffer restoration;
-- Investigated and monitored for potential impacts from a sewage treatment plant in Snydersville;
-- Looking to add an additional Trout In the Classroom program with a local school district;
-- Install signage promoting the catch and release of wild trout in Jonas;
-- Preparing to increase the advocacy efforts in Monroe County;
-- Plans on improving and providing additional opportunities for veterans; and
-- Working with the new Master Watershed Stewardship Program.
For more information on programs, projects and upcoming events, visit the Brodhead Chapter of Trout Unlimited website.
(Photo: Volunteer places a boulder in Pocono Creek in Tannersville.)
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