The Trout Line - March/April 2013

The latest issue of the TVTU newsletter is available!! CLICK and enjoy!

!!! 2013 Outing Schedule !!!

The 2013 Chapter Outings schedule has been released! Join us today!!

Bristol Bay Action Requested

TVTU Board of Directors approves letter to Oregon Senators urging action... 

Work Party Crew Plants Over 1000 Native Plants

text and photos by Michael Ellis

The crew assembles at the top end of the new addition to the off channel wetland complex at Herb Thompsons. from left: Bob May, John Burger, Greg Fritts, Walt Weber, Tom Wolf, Andy Andrews, Jon Pampush, Mike Coddington, Don Kaster, Doug Ray.

On Saturday, February 16th, ten members of Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited met up with six members of the Rainland Flycasters at the Thompson property to plant native vegetation at the new addition to the off channel wetland complex that both our groups helped to fund. In attendance were TVTU members Andy Andrews, Greg Fritts, Mark Rogers, Janet Rogers, John Burger, Mike Coddington, Don Kaster, Thomas Wolf, Jon Pampush and Michael Ellis and Rainland Flycasters Tom Scoggins, Max Broderick, Bob May, Dean Stanovich, Walt Weber, Herb Thompson and Doug Ray. 

TU in Salem - 2013 Legislature

 Salem is in swing for 2013!!

Tom Wolf, the Oregon Council Chair, met with TVTU at the recent chapter meeting and had some news to share on bills in consideration in Salem this year - items that may be of concern to TU members.

Mckenzie Farms Donates Trees to Coho Habitat

by Michael Ellis

Mckenzie Farms, one of the largest christmas tree growers in Oregon, has been donating leftover christmas trees to us to use for Coho Salmon Habitat. They always end the season with some trees that didn't sell and have to find some way to get rid of them. They are happy to see them go for fish habitat.

GET INVOLVED!! Coastal Field Day - 2.16.13

Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited is planning a field day to plant native vegetation at the new Off Channel Wetland Complex at the Herb Thompson property near Seaside February 16th, 2013. Members plan on meeting at the Imbrie Road Fred Meyer in Hillsboro [near the can return area] at 8:00 AM for caravan travel and/or carpooling. The group will leave the Fred Meyer and head toward the project site by 8:15 AM. If you are coming from the coast or just want to get there early - we will stop by the Klootchy Creek turn-out to reassemble or meet anyone who is already at the coast and doesn't know where the Thompson place is.

Bring gloves, rain gear and a lunch; we usually plan on finishing up around 2:00 but often fun happens and we may string it out a bit. We have also been invited to tour the complex with Doug Ray in the later evening hours to see the productivity of everyone's work [with a spot light to sight the inhabitants] and share in local malt beverage if you are inclined.

Please let me know if you are coming - either through the Volunteer Button on the home page or HERE. I look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Michael Ellis

Conservation Director

Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited

Herb's Coho Sanctuary - WE NEED PLANTS!!  Thwart the blackberries and help put native plants in the ground - February 16, 2013

Tree Collection Wraps Up

 

THANK YOU!!!

to the people from the Portland Metro area who made the effort to drop off their Christmas trees and help fund the 2013 TVTU Ecocycle Project!! Some trees arrived from Tualatin and Wilsonville - even a 

few visitors from other states contributed!

Just One More Saturday to Ecocycle Your Christmas Tree, and a Brief Update

Frosty but less windy at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters

Photos and text by Michael Ellis

Saturday, January 12th, Volunteers Alan Moore, John Arnold, Jon Pampush, Mike Gentry and myself, Michael Ellis, manned the drop site at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters. It was cold and a lot of the trees came with ice. It was not as windy as last week however, so, in all it was more pleasant. We met a lot of new people, got to talk to the public about our projects, and, while we all thought it would be a lot slower than last week, we still collected over 100 trees.

Here, Mike and Jon stand in front of the pile of trees that wouldn't fit in the truck. The pile in my yard grew by about 40 trees!

On Sunday, Mike and I took the truck to the Thompson property to unload.  The roads looked a bit iffy around Hillsboro, but when we got up in the Coast Range a little we broke through the clouds and it was a beautiful day! The silver frost on the bare tree branches and weeds along the road, lit by sunlight, was a sight to behold.

The tree pile is growing

Here is the pile of trees, next to the rental truck, at the Thompson property.

At the Royal Treatment Fly Fishing drop site, Peter Gray returned for a second weekend of duty where he and Andy Andrews helped collect just under half the number of trees from the first weekend - enough for just over a trailer load to go to the Coho! With the left over space for a second trailer run on Sunday, we were able to collect some leftover trees from Kordell's in Lake Oswego - what a benefit! An additional 45+ trees! We may be able to do the same this final weekend - especially if there is some willingness to have another volunteer add a second trailer to the mix on Sunday. If you have a truck and some time - contact Michael about wrangling a second trailer to the coast on Sunday and we can coordinate the convoy effort.

Well, we still need help next weekend, both staffing the drop sites on Saturday and possibly loading trees Sunday morning. If you would like to help out e mail me at tvturestoration@gmail.com .

Week One of Christmas Tree Ecocycling

Our Christmas Tree collection project went well this week. We collected around 250 trees Saturday between the two locations. That was a lot more than we had arranged transportation for. Bill Schoen stepped up - thanks! - and brought in an additional trailer. Even so, Jeff and I both ended up with a large pile of trees in our yards awaiting transport. Ultimately, we did haul 3-12' trailer loads as well as a 17' u-haul truck full to the Thompson Property on the Necanicum. Two trailer loads went into the newly enlarged off channel wetland area that our chapter helped to fund. Now the habitat is being improved with the addition of the christmas trees.  Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

Andy Andrews and Alan Moore wrestle yet another christmas tree. This pile is destined to "holdover" in my yard.

Jeff Price with a very well packed trailer load of christmas trees.

Christmas trees in the new addition to the Off Channel Wetland Complex.

We have two more weekends of collection this year and still need volunteers to help staff the drop sites and haul trees to the Coast. If you can help out e mail me, Michael Ellis at tvturestoration@gmail.com .

Thanks to everyone who has helped out so far - especially our hosts Joel @ Royal Treatment Fly Fishing and Jack @ Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.