September 10, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Steve Moyer-- 703-447-8401
James Piotrowski-- 208-331-9200

Trout Unlimited Holds Annual Meeting in Boise:  Volunteer Leaders and National Staff to Gather September 12-15

BOISE – Trout Unlimited will hold its 48th annual meeting in Boise, Idaho from September 12-15.
Dozens of volunteer leaders from around the country and Trout Unlimited national staff will convene at the Grove Hotel at 245 S. Capitol Boulevard.

“Boise, Idaho is a logical place for this year’s annual meeting to celebrate progress and success for protecting and restoring trout habitat,” said Steve Moyer, TU’s Vice President for Government Affairs.  “The State of Idaho under then Governor Jim Risch and continuing with Governor Butch Otter has advanced a commendable proposal to protect National Forest roadless areas in Idaho.  Boise’s Mayor David Bieter has provided strong leadership for habitat restoration projects, acquiring more protected park areas in the city, and is an advocate for protecting the river’s water quality from the proposed Atlanta Gold mine in the Middle Fork Boise River.”

Events open to press include:

Conservation Tour of Boise River Projects:  Thursday September 13, 8:00 a.m.
Volunteers will showcase their restoration work on three sites along the Boise River.

 Eagle Island: This project will highlight restored habitat for trout spawning and rearing to the Boise River. The restored channel is about 3,300 feet (slightly over 1/2 mile) in length.

 Julia Davis Park:  Located at the south end of Julia Davis Park, the 300-foot-long channel is connected to the Boise River and provides off channel spawning, rearing and overwintering habitat for trout and other fishes.

Harris Ranch in East Boise:  A new side channel of the Boise River will be created for the purposes of restoring spawning, rearing, and over-wintering fish habitat, all of which have been lost over time due to a changed river ecosystem. When complete the channel will be about one mile in length.  The tour will also include a trip to Idaho City to view the Mores Creek floodplain restoration project. Tours will run throughout the day from 10:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Volunteer Awards Luncheon  September 14, at noon in the hotel. Awards will be presented to state councils, local chapters and individuals for excellence and leadership in coldwater conservation.  Landowners in the Boise valley will also be recognized for their conservation efforts.

Trout Unlimited is North America’s leading coldwater fisheries conservation organization, with more than 160,000 members dedicated to the protection and restoration of trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. 

Additional information about the annual meeting and TU’s conservation work is available at www.tu.org.
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Date: 8/10/2007