Trout Unlimited Backs Away From "No-Access Fights" Resolution
By Tom Chandler on Mar 25, 2007 in News
Interesting news. For now. From an extremely well written story in The Missoulian:
Following an emotional groundswell from its Montana membership, Trout Unlimited will take another look at its position on the often contentious issue of public access and private land.
On Friday, Bob Teufel, TU’s acting board chairman, pulled his controversial resolution that would have prohibited Trout Unlimited members from participating in disputes that pitted claims of public stream access against claims of private property.
Teufel said his decision was greatly influenced by the uproar that came from Montana.
“I got 182 e-mails from our friends in Montana. … None of them included an offer to go fishing,” Teufel said in a telephone interview from his Pennsylvania home.” I hadn’t realized how visceral this issue was for Montana Trout Unlimited members.”
Duh.
What part of “We love it when you send us dollars and do all the volunteer habitat restoration, but don’t bother us about actually getting to fish those waters” did Teufel think was going to fly?
Comments? Deep sighs of relief? Conspiracy theories?
Technorati Tags: trout unlimited, tu, stream access, montana
Mike | Mar 25, 2007 | Reply
Maybe it is Bob’s last name. Would you trust anybody who’s last name means “Devil” in German.
Mike
Yellowstoner | Mar 25, 2007 | Reply
I’d invite him but I don’t know many of those sorts of folks.
’stoner
Tom Chandler | Mar 25, 2007 | Reply
It’s interesting to note that they haven’t wholly given up on the resolution, just pushed it back to the Leadership Council (who had already formulated a policy over the last ten months).
Let’s hope they don’t try to sneak something similar through when everybody’s not looking, though that’s a lot less likely than it used to be…
Nodeless | Mar 27, 2007 | Reply
The resolution was changed in response to comments from the NLC, Montana TU, other individuals and state councils. Mr. Teufel, I believe, was trying to do something helpful by removing a contentious issue but didn’t realize the importance to a lot of members until the comments came back. The resulting change will be a positive move.
Mad Max | Jun 10, 2007 | Reply
ALl of us who love to fish, and contribute time and money to TU (FFF, etc.) should be concerned about Teufel’s proposal…and keep a jaded eye on him and the rest of the TU hierarchy encamped outside DC. If TU as an organization does not wish to support stream access, then what they are doing is taking donations of time and money from the TU membership…rich and poor…to improve coldwater fisheries for those wealthy enough to own streamside lands. So we have around 152,000 folks paying for stream improvements, water quality, stocking trout, etc. and being kicked to the curb.