There’s a lot of noise coming from our federal government – some of it is just that, noise. But some of it is deeply troubling and worth our attention. CalTrout is steadfast in our commitment to stay focused on our work, but when our public lands and our conservation partners come under threat, and with that the potential to set back of our restoration work, we will not stay silent.
What is happening to threaten our public lands?
During Congress’s budget negotiations, the Senate rejected a proposal to prevent the sale of federal lands in order to balance the federal budgets. Since then, there is credible reporting that Congress is actively considering selling our public lands and removing critical protections for the lakes, rivers, and streams within those boundaries. According to reporting by NPR, “House Republicans have approved an amendment that authorizes the sale of thousands of acres of federal public land in Nevada and Utah.” Selling off, transferring, or opening mining and natural resource exploitation on public lands would destroy much of what makes our country special. And California could be next.
Additionally, we are seeing mass layoffs of critical federal employees whose work affords millions of Californians the opportunity to safely visit, fish, swim, learn about, and recreate on our National Park lands. Here at CalTrout, we rely on our partners at the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, the US Forest Service, and countless other federal agencies to ensure that we have the proper science, permitting, and oversight of our restoration work. Losing these employees severs essential functions that ensure access to and enjoyment of our outdoor spaces for all Californians.
Finally, the administration is targeting non-profits that focus on combating climate change. Here at CalTrout, we recognize that climate change poses one of the largest threats to our mission, and the fish, water, and people that we serve. We stand with the countless important organizations that work for all Californians to ensure that we have swimmable, drinkable, and fishable water for future generations.
Why we MUST protect our public lands:
- 70% of remaining habitat for native trout is on public lands
- 50% of California’s land and freshwater is federally owned land
- California has a multimillion-dollar recreation economy that relies on healthy and accessible public lands
- The waters that you and your community fish might not be available to fish in the future if we do not protect them
- When protected from resource development and extraction, public lands can create natured based solutions to the climate crisis providing resilience to all.
What is CalTrout doing about all of this?
- We’re staying engaged with our federal advocacy efforts around National Monuments including two recently designated monuments that are of unique important to California’s fish, water, and people: Sáttítla Highlands and San Gabriel Mountains.
- We’re actively employing state protection tools like Outstanding Natural Resource Water designations to permanently protect some of our most important freshwaters including Cedar and Elder creeks in the North Coast and Hot Creek in the Sierra Nevada.
- We’ve stepped up our federal lobbying capacity to stay in the conversation, advocate for CalTrout’s mission, and stay on top of new threats to our freshwater ecosystems.
- We’re keeping YOU in the loop about how you can help – and helping you navigate the noise.
What can you do?
- Support our organization as we continue to build out our federal lobbying capacity to create a bigger influence for California’s freshwater ecosystems at the state level.
- Continue to follow us on social media or by signing up for our email list as we help you navigate the noise and hone in on the topics where we need your help.
Our Beliefs
Our beliefs are the deeply held convictions that underpin the approach to our work. They represent our collective wisdom, experience, and understanding of the world around us. Grounded in optimism and a commitment to continuous learning, our beliefs drive us forward, even in the face of adversity. We believe:
California is remarkable. California is our home. It is also home to many of the most biodynamically diverse and irreplaceable ecosystems on earth. Collaborative leadership in conservation, restoration, and environmental policy makes global impact possible. It is our privilege to protect, care for, and promote this amazing landscape amid unprecedented climate change. We believe that through collaborative leadership in conservation, restoration, and environmental policy, impact at a global level is possible.
Water is life. Like air, water is essential to sustain life. That water, when clean, cold, and free flowing, is fundamental to healthy ecosystems and healthy economic systems. Our ability to collaborate with diverse interests shapes the future of sustainable water access to every corner of our beautiful landscape.
Wild fish are essential to a thriving California. Follow the fish. Healthy fish populations are a key indicator of healthy rivers. When thriving, rivers help transform community health, economic health, and ecological health across our entire state. A healthy California serves as a model nationally and globally for thriving ecosystems.
Science drives solutions. Lead with science. Curiosity and our collective ability to observe, question, adapt and understand are necessary in all we do. Integrating and applying knowledge from all sources, including Indigenous peoples, is necessary to inform our work. Solid science is backed by solid policy. Without rules, protections, and governance, every river—and the life that depends on those rivers—is at risk. Our restoration actions are guided by this ongoing cycle.
Biodiversity is fundamental to resiliency. Biological variability is a form of ecological life support. We rely on healthy ecosystems to provide the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Without biodiversity, all natural systems are at risk of catastrophe.
Collaboration is essential to lasting solutions. We are stronger together. It takes all of us to effect meaningful, landscape-level change. Cultivating a shared understanding of ecosystem health among all California communities, as a holistic approach, is necessary to achieve big goals. We engage, listen to and value all people invested in the rivers of California.
The climate crisis is real. Climate change is the primary challenge before us. Human activity is the principal cause. We engage in landscape-scale, nature-based solutions that offer a blueprint for building resiliency in both natural ecosystems and human economies. We prove humans can support nature in solving the problems we’ve created.
