National Capital - 011 > MDTU:Upper Gunpowder Brook Trout Partnership

MDTU:Upper Gunpowder Brook Trout Partnership

Submitted by dhaynes on Thu, 2016-05-26 09:37
Gunpowder Falls
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Conservation

Upper Gunpowder Brook Trout Partnership 

The Upper Gunpowder Watershed Brook Trout Partnership is a coalition of volunteers, community organizations, and governmental agencies, led by the Maryland Chapter (#167) to improve water quality and stream habitat, helping to conserve and restore brook trout populations in the Upper Gunpowder Watershed.  The partners enlisted in the project to date include Maryland Chapter Trout Unlimited, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Inland Fisheries Management Division Prettyboy Watershed Alliance, Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Chesapeake Bay Workgroup, Baltimore and Carrol Counties

The project is unique in that it takes a watershed-wide approach to conservation. As such, it provides model that other chapters or councils can emulate. 

 The purpose of the partnership is to:
  •  Ensure the protection and conservation of Maryland’s remaining high quality habitat in the Upper Gunpowder watershed that supports brook trout populations.
  • Return marginal stream habitat to a condition which will support the conservation and where feasible restoration of healthy historic brook trout ranges.
  • Educate and engage landowners, emphasizing the importance and value of preserving the limited number of habitats in Maryland that support brook trout populations.
  • Help land owners realize the full economic benefit of their property through best practices in conservation, forestry, and land management.
  • Collaborate with private and public land owners to implement scientifically proven storm water management techniques that improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
  • Connect private land owners with grant opportunities to improve land management practices.
  • Promote land use and conservation strategies that respect land use rights while ensuring the protection of our water resources, habitat, and native flora and fauna.

in addition to the Maryland Chapter, the partnership involves:

  • Maryland Department of Natural Resources
  • Baltimore County Dept. of Environment
  • Carroll County Dept. of Environment
  • Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture
  • US Fish and Wildlife
  • Chesapeake Bay Foundation
  • National Aquarium
  • Prettyboy Watershed Alliance
  • Gunpowder Conservancy.

Scott Scarfone presented the project at the SE Regional Meeing. His presentation is attached. PDF iconMDTU Brook Trout Conservation_SE TU_Short_5_16.pdf

This link takes you to a story about the project in the Baltimore Sun.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bs-sp-outdoors-trout-1129-20151128-story.html

Comments

 
jeffnech said on Thursday, July 7th, 2016

As one of the volunteers working on the deployment of the data loggers, I was able to see some of the feeder streams in the Gunpowder watershed and am pretty impressed by the initiative and their goals.  I'm interested in staying the course and seeing how this will unfold.  Especially as land owner partnerships are developed and the habitat improves.  I see this as an opportunity to confirm and spread wild brook trout populations and habitat further into historical ranges.  Happy to be a part of the team!

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