c/o WAFWA
P.O. Box 190150 Boise, ID 83719
208.331.9431 x105
westernnativetrout.org
2022 ANNUAL REPORT
DEAR FRIENDS,
Thank you for being a part of the Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI) again in 2022. In 2022,
WNTI and our partners funded four habitat restoration projects beneting focal species with a
total of $320,000 National Fish Habitat Partnership funds, leveraged with $790,726 in other partner
contributions for a total projects value of $1,110,726. An additional $483,500 in other grants funded
an additional 10 projects.
An ongoing partnership with the Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) through their Open Rivers Fund,
continued to support our ongoing work on seven projects in the Upper Bear River in Idaho, Utah,
and Wyoming to benet Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, recreational shing, and local communities
and ranchers who divert water for irrigation. RLF also continued to support WNTI’s portfolio of
projects in the Warner Lakes Basin in southeast Oregon to benet Warner Lakes Redband Trout
(State Sensitive and Federal Species of Concern), Warner sucker (listed as Threatened under the
Endangered Species Act), recreational shing, ranchers, and landowners.
Collectively, the 14 projects funded in 2022 will remove or bypass fourteen barriers to restore
access to 62.5 miles of stream for sh passage, restore 2.8 miles and 80 acres of sh habitat, and
assess four sh populations and 14.5 stream miles. One temporary barrier was constructed to
support Greenback Cutthroat Trout conservation eorts.
In 2022, WNTI awarded $23,550 from its small grant program (funded 100% with donations) for six
projects in ten western states and a Canadian province, matched by $29,360 in public and private
funding. The community-based projects emphasize citizen science and outreach to help address
challenges facing the restoration and recovery of WNTI’s focal species.
In May 2019, WNTI launched our Western Native Trout Challenge, inviting anglers to celebrate
our western native trout legacy by catching native trout and char in their native ranges in each of
the 12 WNTI western states, at their own pace. WNTI’s 12 state sh and wildlife agency members
partnered on the eort, along with the U.S. Forest Service, BLM, and Trout Unlimited. As of
December 2022, 1,214 anglers had registered for the program with 178 anglers completing one or
more levels already.
Thank you for making 2022 another successful year for WNTI. We could not accomplish all that
we do without the continued support and dedication of our partners and donors. We are looking
forward to continued success in 2023!
Sincerely,
41 Barriers constructed to conserve and protect priority populations
163 Fish Passage Barriers removed
OUR
SUCCESS
BY THE
NUMBERS
2006-2022
2,072 Stream miles reconnected, restored, or improved
689 Miles of habitat protected above barriers
JULIE MEKA CARTER THERESE THOMPSON
Chair, WNTI Steering Committee Coordinator
2,482 Stream miles assessed
1,123 Watersheds or populations surveyed or assessed
WNTI 2022 ANNUAL REPORT
Projects
PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH NATIONAL FISH
HABITAT PARTNERSHIP FUNDS IN 2022
WNTI operational support
Cache la Poudre River Headwaters Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Restoration: Corral Creek, Colorado
Blackfoot River Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Habitat Improvement,
Idaho
Rainey Creek Restoration Bridge-to-Bridge Phase 2 (Yellowstone
Cutthroat Trout), Idaho
PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS FROM
OTHER FUNDERS IN 2022
Muddy Creek Fish Passage and Habitat Enhancement (Interior
Redband Trout), Oregon
Deep Creek Middle Diversion (Interior Redband Trout), Oregon
Honey Creek Four Lower Diversions (Interior Redband Trout), Oregon
Evanston Town Historic Dam (Bonneville Cutthroat Trout), Wyoming
Stauer Creek Fish Passage Construction Phase 2 (Bonneville
Cutthroat Trout), Idaho
Stauer Creek Oxborrow Diversion Removal (Bonneville Cutthroat
Trout), Idaho
North Eden Creek (Bonneville Cutthroat Trout), Utah
Dry Fork Smiths’ Fork Culvert Removal (Bonneville Cutthroat
Trout), Wyoming
Beaver Creek/Wuda Ogwa (Bonneville Cutthroat Trout), Utah
Steve’s Creek (Bonneville Cutthroat Trout), Idaho
Outreach Activity Highlights
WNTI SMALL GRANT PROJECTS FUNDED IN 2022
Additional information for all 2022 small grant projects can be
viewed at:
westernnativetrout.org/2022-small-grants-projects
Get to Know Your Native Trout Colorado River Cutthroat Trout
poster, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming
Rainey Creek Restoration Kiosk, Idaho
Native Trout Education, Idaho
Native Fishes of Idaho Poster, Idaho
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and River Etiquette Sign Project,
Montana
Coastal Cutthroat Trout Outreach and Communication Poster
Project, Alaska, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada,
Washington
Additional information for all 2022 National Fish Habitat Partnership WNTI-funded
projects can be viewed at: westernnativetrout.org/2022-funded-projects
WESTERN NATIVE TROUT CHALLENGE
In 2019, the Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI) launched a major new
program called the Western Native Trout Challenge.
westernnativetroutchallenge.org
The program celebrates the native trout and char species of the West and
invites anglers to catch each species in its native or historic range and is a
lifetime challenge for each individual who registers. Participants catch native trout and char in each
of 12 western states. WNTI provides education, resources, inspiration, and prizes. The purpose of the
Challenge is to strengthen angler awareness of these unique native species, help anglers understand
native trout conservation, and grow the community of trout shing acionados.
As of December 2022, 1,214 anglers have registered for the Western Native Trout Challenge. Idaho
Tourism published a native trout shing guide in 2022 that features our Western Native Trout
Challenge. In 2022, Tenkara Rod USA produced nine short videos of their adventures attempting to
complete the Western Native Trout Challenge. Another nine videos are expected in 2023. The videos
can be watched here: westernnativetroutchallenge.org/media
Evanston Town Historic Dam removal during construction.
Photo courtesy of Trout Unlimited.
WNTI Instagram feed
Social Media
To share accomplishments achieved in conserving western
native trout across the West, WNTI posted 367 media stories
on the partnership’s Facebook page, which generated more
than 100,000 “likes”. WNTI maintains an active presence
on other social media channels with 15,000 followers on
Instagram and almost 1,000 followers on Twitter.
/westernnativetrout
@westernnativetrout
@WNativeTrout
AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY
CONFERENCE SYMPOSIUM
WNTI co-hosted a symposium with the Fish
Habitat Section of the American Fisheries
Society, Western Native Trout: Managing the
Threats and Building Resiliency - at the annual
American Fisheries Society conference in 2022.
Presentations focused on western native trout
species and their habitats in the face of climate
change, including aspects of wildre ecology
and management, building resiliency in native
trout populations and habitats during drought,
promoting habitat recovery and restoration
opportunities following stochastic events, and
reducing the impacts of non-native species on
sensitive native trout populations. There were
18 presentations that provided updates on
research and/or management actions related
to managing the threats and building resiliency
in western native trout species.
Outreach Activity Highlights
Continued
Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest Award Winners
wildlifeforever.org/home/sh-art/winners2022/
western-native-trout-award-winners-2022
WILDLIFE FOREVER STATE-FISH ART CONTEST
The Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest partnered with WNTI again
in 2022 to highlight the diversity of native trout in the western United
States. This partnership connects youth to the assortment of native trout
utilizing the Art of Conservation®. In honor of this collaboration, the
Fish Art Contest created a new Western Native Trout Award. Winners
were selected in four grade categories, Kindergarten-3rd grade, 4th-6th
grade, 7th-9th grade, and 10th-12th grade and awarded a prize package
from the Western Native Trout Initiative.
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GET TO KNOW YOUR NATIVE TROUT POSTERS
The next two Get To Know Your Native Trout posters in WNTI’s
series were printed and distributed for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
and Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. Two additional posters are
being funded for production in 2023: Colorado River Cutthroat
Trout and Coastal Cutthroat Trout.
>
>
The future of native trout
conservation depends on
the generosity of individuals
like you who care about
sustaining healthy western
watersheds. When you give
to WNTI, 100% of your
donation is leveraged to
support on-the-ground,
locally led projects.
About WNTI
The WESTERN NATIVE TROUT INITIATIVE is a public-private Fish Habitat Partnership that works
collaboratively across 12 western states to conserve (protect, restore and recover) 21 native trout
and char species.
To achieve this mission, WNTI works together with its on-the-ground partners to:
Establish Joint Priorities for Native Trout Conservation
Covering over 1.75 million square miles of public and privately managed lands, WNTI and our
partners combine science-based assessments along with expert and local knowledge to establish
joint priorities for native trout conservation at a landscape scale.
Coordinate Investment and Collaborative Action
WNTI provides a forum for partners to coordinate and invest their collective assets and capacity
toward completing the highest-priority, native trout conservation eorts across the West. Proposed
and led by local communities and resource agencies, these projects are funded and supported
through WNTI’s grant programs and in-kind contributions by our partners.
Education, Outreach and Stewardship
WNTI seeks to support and sustain the ongoing eorts of our on-the-ground partners by raising
awareness for the importance of healthy native trout watersheds and facilitating greater public
support for native trout conservation within local communities. Through our Campaign for Western
Native Trout, WNTI helps encourage private investment and involvement in native trout projects
and regional native trout conservation initiatives.
STEERING COMMITTEE
Operating under the guidance of the Western
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the
Western Native Trout Initiative is governed by a
Steering Committee that represents 12 western
states, 3 federal resource management
agencies, tribes, and nonprot sheries
conservation organizations.
Julie Meka Carter, Chair
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Paul Dey, Vice Chair
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Kevin Keith
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Farhat Bajjaliya
California Department of
Fish and Wildlife
Harry Crockett
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Martin Koenig
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Trevor Watson
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
Chris Crookshanks
Nevada Department of Wildlife
THANK YOU 2022 PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
Alaska Department of Fish
and Game
American Sportshing Association
FishAmerica Foundation
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies
AZ Fly Shop
California Department
of Fish and Wildlife
California Fly Fishers Unlimited
Coastal Cutthroat Coalition
Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Interagency Committee
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Copper River Watershed Project
Fish Focus Photography
Friends of the Teton River
gaiacreative
Henry’s Fork Foundation
Hood Canal Salmon
Enhancement Group
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Intermountain West Joint Venture
Lake County Umbrella
Watershed Council
Living Waters Fly Fishing
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
National Fish Habitat Partnership
Nevada Department of Wildlife
New Mexico Department
of Game and Fish
NOAA Oice of Habitat Conservation
Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife
Orono High School (Idaho)
Pacic States Marine
Fisheries Commission
Pheasants Forever
RepYourWater
Resources Legacy Fund
(Open Rivers Fund)
Rocky Mountain Flyathlon
(Running Rivers)
Santa Clara Pueblo – Forestry Division
Tenkara Rod Co.
Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited Native Trout
Work Group
Turner Endangered Species Fund, LLC
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. National Park Service
Utah Cutthroat Slam
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife
Western Association
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Wilderness Lite Float Tubes
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
And all the individual donors
who contribute to WNTI!
Kirk Patten
New Mexico Department of
Game and Fish
Thomas Stahl
Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife
Randy Oplinger
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Steve Caromile
Washington Department of
Fish and Wildlife
Warren Colyer
Trout Unlimited
Melissa Dickard
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Yvette Paroz
U.S. Forest Service
Robert Clarke
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Chris Cantrell
Western Association of
Fish and Wildlife Agencies
STAFF
Therese Thompson
Coordinator
Thank you!
Angler Crew Clouse
Courtesy Sheldon Clouse
Photos left to right: Monica Mitchell @lamoni22 | Sam Simmons | Angler Fielding Cravens courtesy Michael Cravens
