California Trout

Volunteer Opportunities on Slinkard Creek (September 4th-7th)
2024-09-04 - 2024-09-07 | Slinkard Creek, CA-89, Coleville, 96107, United States
Join us in the Eastern Sierra
Do you have a passion for native trout, the eastern Sierra, camping and working outdoors? CalTrout is looking for volunteers to assist with field-based fisheries work in the eastern Sierra on a Lahontan Cutthroat Trout recovery project. This is a super unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in fish sampling methods, data collection, and applied fisheries management and restoration.
This opportunity would be excellent for:

Students in fisheries programs who are looking to gain experience or electrofishing hours
Early career restoration practitioners interested in getting more hands-on experience
Anyone who loves being outdoors and is excited about having a direct positive impact in critical habitat restoration

About the project
This project involves field-based fisheries work in the eastern Sierra, assisting CalTrout on a Lahontan Cutthroat Trout recovery project. This project involves the use of a novel dewatering technique, properly utilizing electrofishing backpacks, and identifying native fish from the Walker River Basin including Lahontan Cutthroat trout (LCT) and non-native trout like Brook trout. This is a non-native trout removal project, which means that non-native fish will be culled from the system for the restoration of native trout and fish like LCT. Slinkard Creek offers up a diverse and picturesque ecosystem along the high deserts of the Eastern Sierra.
Volunteers will be joining our hitch crews for 4 days of remote camping to conduct field work near the Walker Basin in Mono County. This opportunity requires a high level of comfort and resilience in the outdoors, with long days spent in the field in exposed terrain and camping at night. We are looking for volunteers who can carry up to 40 lbs. while working in remote rugged terrain. Volunteers need to provide their own camping supplies and food, although we’re happy to help procure extra gear that you might need.
We believe that community stewardship supports well-tended landscapes, and we’re excited to include our community in these meaningful opportunities! We’re excited to offer opportunities that get hands in the water and eyes on fish.
We’re looking for up to three volunteers per hitch – help us spread the word, or grab your friends and join us. See you in the field!
Dates:
August 7-10
August 21–24
September 4–7
September 18–21
October 2-5
For more information, or to sign up to join us for this opportunity email Sierra Project Manager Marrina Nation mnation@www.caltrout.org. In your email please include the dates you’re interested in, information about any experience you might have with fieldwork (not required), and your comfort level with working in rough terrain and camping in remote settings.
Learn more about CalTrout’s work for Lahontan Cutthroat Trout recovery here.

Biodiversity Day at Malibu Lagoon
2024-09-07 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join CalTrout to kick off California Biodiversity Week
We are celebrating California’s Biodiversity Day on Sept 7th by welcoming our community out to learn more about the Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project. In partnership with California State Parks, CalTrout is working to remove Rindge Dam on Malibu Creek and restore migration access and habitat for critically endangered Southern steelhead.
Come along with CalTrout Public Outreach Specialist, Judi Uthus, at the Malibu Lagoon for a FREE guided tour. Together, we will embark on a short walk and talk about the project, and attendees will learn how to become a community scientist for this project by migrating up and downstream and recording landscape data using fixed photo points.
Where: Malibu Lagoon State Beach (Google Maps link); Judi will be on the boardwalk in the front parking lot
When: Saturday, September 7, 2024
Time: 9:00am-10:00am. Arrive at 9:00am to hear about the project, walk the lagoon, and explore our community science fixed photo points with Judi
RSVP here!
If you are not able to attend the event, you can still get involved! Become a community scientist and join the Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project by participating in our Community Science Photo Point Program. How? Visit Malibu Creek, snap a picture at one of the photo monitoring sites, and upload it to help us collaboratively build a bigger picture of the watershed.
Learn more about our Malibu Creek Community Science Photo Point Program here.
