Submitted by j.weis on Wed, 2016-07-13 23:12 Tongass Sportfishing - 573 Vote Up Down +8 + WIN-BREEDLOVE-OREGON-ROGUE-GUITAR.jpg The Breedlove Oregon Rogue guitar, crafted with salvaged spruce, was a giveaway benefitting TU's work in the Tongass National Forest By: Jenny Weis Question: What do you get when you combine the Fly Fishing Film Tour, Trout Unlimited Alaska and a campfire jam session? Answer: A Breedlove Rogue Guitar raffle! When the guitar-company duo took a stand against the use of wood that came from clear-cut old growth logging within the Tongass National Forest, TU was proud to partner with them. TU-Alaska has worked for years to conserve key areas of the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska for salmon and trout. This means protecting the trees and habitat near the waterways that are critical for fish. Once the connection was made to these shared goals, the partnership was born. “Bedell Guitars and Breedlove Acoustic Stringed Instruments are calling on the acoustic guitar industry to take a stand. We propose a moratorium on the use of any future clear-cut, old-growth Sitka trees from 2016 on. […] We are partnering with Trout Unlimited and the Fly Fishing Tour to raise awareness and funds to support the campaign to stop old-growth clear-cutting.” The raffle was announced live by the host at each of the F3T stops (some 60+ stops) in the US over the winter and spring. We awarded a grand prize (guitar) and a second prize (rod) recently, and wanted to tell you about our winners and partnership with Breedlove. Grand Prize Winner (Rogue Guitar) John Livingston Carbondale, CO Second Prize Winner (GVX Winston Rod, Hat, Beattie DVD) David Barnes Morgan Hill, CA We asked the Grand Prize Winner, John Livingston, to answer a few questions for the blog post. What do you do? I am the Director of Fishing at the Roaring Fork Club in Basalt, Colorado. I run all aspects of the fly fishing program including the fishery and our merchandise inside our Pro Shop. I am also a full-time guide. What is your favorite river? The Frying Pan River outside of Basalt, Colorado. Our hatches are some of the best in the west and the trout make you work for it. Why should conservation matter to fly anglers? Because the time is now. We must respond to the threats to our fisheries that come with a rapidly increasing world population. If we act now, future generations will continue to enjoy angling and healthy waters make for a healthier planet. Not only were we thrilled to partner with Breedlove and Bedell, this raffle and the F3T provided a great opportunity to highlight our work in the Tongass. Earl harper tongass.jpg Fishing in the Tongass National Forest. Photo by Earl Harper In short, scientists and stakeholders in Southeast Alaska have identified over 70 areas within the Tongass National Forest that are the most important to salmon and trout. The rivers and streams that make up these areas are currently open for development activities that could significantly impact salmon and trout habitat – including old-growth logging. Because they are so important to salmon and trout, we are working to permanently conserve these key areas and the economic gain they bring to the region. Through these actions we can help ensure Southeast Alaska’s abundant wild salmon return for generations to come and continue to fuel the region’s communities and economy. Learn more about our effort in the Tongass National Forest at americansalmonforest.org. Special thanks to Bedell and Breedlove for making this possible! Jenny Weis is the Communications and Digital Advocacy Specialist for Trout Unlimited's Alaska Program. She lives in Anchorage.