There were two TU national speakers present. Chris Wood (cwood@tu.org), VP of Conservation Programs gave a talk about the TU strategic plan. The highlights included
    -A greater emphasis on cooperation between National and chapter level
    -Development of youth-specific programs and publications, which are grotesquely absent from current TU initiatives. One model for development is the Wild Turkey Federation, which has some 600,000 members, a large portion youth members, compared with TU's 100,000 with weak youth membership.
    -Use of a metric for measuring conservation efforts, known as the Conservation Success Index (CSI). This is implemented in a Google Earth interface and available at TU.org
    -Use the key ideas of Protecting at the highest government levels, Reconnecting at the intermediate levels, and Restoring and Sustaining at the local levels.
    -Identified need to build the long term durability and capacity of the organization.
    -Work closer with land trusts to convince them that native brook trout deserve their concern.
    -Identify areas and work with VDGIF or other state agencies to begin communications early; so as development progresses, the state and private parties are prepared to write provisions for protecting sensitive riparian habitat on such lands.
    -There is a need to strengthen relationships with other like minded organizations at all levels. It was in particular mentioned that FFA, 4H, and Isaac Walton League were candidate organizations with a lot of potential impact.

Bryan Moore (bmoore@tu.org) is the TU Project Director of the Potomac Headwaters Restoration Project (http://www.tu.org/site/pp.asp?c=7dJEKTNuFmG&b=1149005). He has been very successful in speaking with individual land owners to get them on government programs for riparian habitat restoration in Maryland and West Virginia. He continually mentioned the domino effect that will occur when one land owner is on-board. It was obvious from his talk that he had the perfect personality to relate to land owners who cared about their land--the personal side of this is enormous. There was discussion of 'why should we want to help these folks if we will never have access?'--something we have heard in our chapter meetings at least to some degree and it deserves serious consideration. His #1 argument for this was 'If you don't work with landowners and develop that relationship, then you will never have access anyway.' It appears, however, that the TU constituency is overwhelmingly in support of programs that seek access over those which do not, according to Chris Wood during discussions. One thing that came out of this talk in terms of stream restoration was that it only costs 10% as much to restore a spring creek versus a freestone.

John Ross proposed a so-called 'Great Valley' initiative for restoring spring creeks in Virginia. I was unsure of the definition of the Great Valley, so if you are as well, please take a look at the attached picture. The Bryan Moore comment about relative ease of restoring spring creeks was used as a supporting argument. It was pointed out that many parts of the state had valuable spring creeks, and that we should take pride in restoring them. It was moved to set this project into action with talk of million-dollar-scale budgets over the next 5 years.

John also reported that VCTU had gained its first meetings with high level state administrative officials, including Joe Maroon, the head of DCR and Carlton Coulter, head of VDGIF. John now has a personal relationship with these folks and hopes that it will aid TU in future efforts.

John stressed that at the chapter level, we need to form relationships with our legislators while they are home during the summer. He said we should arrange for lunch meetings and offer to take them fishing so that they may obtain a personal interest in this conservation.

I received a copy of the results from the VCTU Strategic Planning Meeting. I will give a copy to any who wants one.

I also spoke with Mark Zimmerman (mbzimmerman@comcast.net), the VP for Education with VCTU. He will come down to a NRVTU meeting this fall, possibly October, to talk about how we can make our budding Trout in the Classroom project a success. He also noted that the applications for the Graves Mill Fly Fishing camp will be accepted through May 16th. There is scholarship money available, and it will not stop a kid from attending if he or she is in need.

The 2006 budget was reported. I can give a copy to anyone wishing to see it.

Finally, Jeff Rainey (jeff.rainey@hebinc.com) the VCTU VT for Membership called for a more aggressive action at the local level for recruiting and retaining members. I have a large membership packet which we will have available at subsequent chapter meetings. It was discussed that a small committee be formed made up of 'greeters' that get to know visitors in the meetings before meetings are officially convened. It was suggested that instead of asking folks to speak themselves, that an introduction by a greeter is more effective and less intimidating for a new member. Also, it was suggested that a membership table should be set at or near the entrance of a chapter meeting spot.