Just a few weeks ago, we found ourselves in Santa Rosa, California, soaking up knowledge and camaraderie at the 41st Annual Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF) Conference. CalTrout staff members were thrilled to be part of the bustling crowd of fellow scientists, conservationists, and policymakers, all equally passionate about the world of river and watershed restoration and conservation. In addition to hosting sessions, presenting talks, and learning from each other, we were also thrilled to honor CalTrout North Coast Regional Director Darren Mierau with the 2024 Restorationist of the Year award. 

The conference kicked off with two days of immersive workshops and field tours. This was followed by a half-day plenary session that featured remarks from speakers including Dr. Ann Willis with American Rivers and Armando Quintero, director of CA State Parks. The subsequent day and a half were packed with technical, biological, and policy-related concurrent sessions. 

At the closing banquet, we were thrilled to celebrate our very own Darren Mierau, director of CalTrout’s North Coast region. Darren was honored with the 2024 Restorationist of the Year award for his tireless efforts on the North Coast to improve freshwater ecosystems for fish and people! “We are so lucky to have Darren as part of the CalTrout team,” shared CalTrout Executive Director Curtis Knight. “This award is special because it’s recognition of his hard work by his peers. Congratulations, Darren, and thanks for everything you do in the North Coast!” 

We were able to catch up with Darren to hear a little about what this award means to him, how he got here, and whether he had any idea it was coming! 

Darren, congratulations again on the 2024 Restorationist of the Year award. What does this award mean to you? 

This is an incredible honor, particularly coming from my colleagues and peer groups who I’ve known and worked with for the past couple of decades. This is an award that’s been around since 1992! And now my name is part of that long list of so many others who’ve pioneered and contributed to our field of environmental restoration. That’s pretty cool. 

Very cool, indeed! How did you get to where you are today? Could you share a little about what your path been like from starting out in this field to being honored within the salmonid restoration community? 

I feel like I’ve gotten here by recognizing the incredible need for restoring and preserving our North Coast watersheds and our dwindling salmonid populations and by seeing the opportunities, particularly in the North Coast, to make meaningful progress in reversing the degradation that’s resulted from decades of poor land uses. I started out working in my own backyard – a small coho stream that runs through my property – and have continued to build on experiences and successes to help grow our restoration community and take on bigger and more meaningful projects. 

The CalTrout team is large and ever growing and the restoration community itself is even more expansive! Who has helped you along the way? 

Yeah, that’s a really important question. I can’t emphasize enough how many of my colleagues – both within CalTrout, and among the many scientist and engineers who I work with – have contributed to the success of the work we’re doing. They are equally deserving to be recognized as a part of this award.  

But taking a step back, CalTrout has provided me, and all of us in this organization, with a really strong foundation to go out and prioritize the project work, the science that is needed to support our work, and the powerful places to advocate for our mission. It’s been the growth of this organization and the leadership across CalTrout that has been vital to our successes and accomplishments. 

Be honest with us… did you know this award was coming or did it catch you completely off guard? 

It was a total surprise, I had no idea. 

Thanks for catching up with us, Darren, and congratulations again. Last question: what’s your next big focus for restoration? 

Oh, there are many more projects to come: decommissioning the Eel River dams and restoring the Eel River watershed in the next 5-10 years will be huge. I think the Elk River is finally coming online with significant funding after more than a decade of planning and preparation for this watershed’s recovery. Finishing up the Prairie Creek project and turning our attention to the Redwood Creek Estuary restoration through the Army Corp’s feasibility study will be super exciting. Just lots to do in the coming years. 

Congratulations, Darren! Watch the video below to see Darren’s community congratulating him on this incredible achievement.