RMF Wins Gold Trout Award

At the annual Trout Unlimited CX3 event in Spokane, Washington RMF won the TU Gold Trout award. TU wrote the following about RMF’s award:

“The Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter takes innovative and thoughtful approaches to building community and advancing Trout Unlimited’s mission. The creativity, dedication and commitment of the chapter’s leaders has resulted in a high-functioning organization that serves its community and state, engendering community involvement, inclusion and conservation advances.

Despite facing numerous challenges, including wildfires and flooding, the chapter’s leaders have shown exceptional creativity and commitment. They have formed coalitions with stakeholders, agencies, and nonprofits to address post-fire and post-flood actions, becoming a model for Northern Colorado Basins. The chapter’s involvement in the Big Thompson Watershed Coalition and the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed has allowed them to actively engage in restoration and education programs. RMF’s flagship conservation program, the Poudre Headwaters Native Cutthroat Restoration Project, focuses on reintroducing the threatened Greenback Cutthroat Trout into over 38 miles of streams in the region. They collaborate closely with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the US Forest Service and the National Park Service to achieve this goal while also involving volunteers in field work, community science and monitoring.

RMF excels in communication and outreach efforts, utilizing various platforms to engage a broad audience. They have upgraded their website and integrated it with social media platforms, allowing them to effectively communicate with a big and diverse group of anglers and coldwater conservationists. A monthly newsletter is shared via email, Facebook, and Instagram, and their events calendar serves as a hub for coldwater conservation and education opportunities, linking events with fly shops, partner organizations, other TU chapters, and agency partners. RMF’s community engagement spans multiple levels, including participation in community-wide festivals and events, providing classes for underrepresented communities, organizing chapter events and establishing partnerships with local businesses.

RMF actively cultivates future leaders through a robust leadership development program. Their commitment to diversity is exemplified by the inclusion of a CSU Fisheries student and a CSU Costa 5 Rivers Club member on their board. The chapter fosters a culture of gratitude through annual volunteer recognition events, acknowledging the outstanding work of their volunteers and promoting a path from volunteering to leadership. Through innovative fundraising strategies, including sustaining donors, corporate sponsorships, grants and community activities, RMF ensures the financial sustainability of their programs.

This chapter’s continuous growth, effective leadership and impactful initiatives make them an exceptional choice for TU’s highest award for chapters, the Gold Trout Chapter Award.”