Dickinson Co. creek subject of conservation project

The Fred Waara Chapter of Trout Unlimited held its monthly meeting Wednesday.

Trout Unlimited works on conservation projects in fresh water, and on the agenda they discussed a number of projects the group is maintaining.

One of the projects the group is working on is called the Escanaba River Watershed Project to replace two culverts on Schwartz Creek in Dickinson County.

“We’ve been doing monitoring, we’ve hired a field biologist to do some habitat surveys, and we’ve just received a $70, 000 grant from the Fish and Wildlife Service to replace a perch culvert on one of the tributaries (to the Big West Branch of the Escanaba River),” Fred Waara Chapter President Jim Cantrill said.  “(By replacing the culverts) we can improve the reproductive qualities of that system.”

Trout Unlimited now needs apply for permits and survey the area before the project can be completed.

The chapter was also recently named Chapter of the Year in the state of Michigan.  With 300 members, the award shows how dedicated the group is to conservation.

“For us, it’s a recognition of the long hours people spend (with the group),” Cantrill said.  “We are a volunteer organization.  People come from all walks of life, and we’re really truly focused on trying to improve the quality of this resource for generations to come.”

The Fred Waara Chapter has members that span from the western end of the Upper Peninsula to Luce and Schoolcraft counties in the east.

For more information on joining the Fred Waara Chapter, or to search for other chapters in the Upper Peninsula, visit the Trout Unlimited website.