The 2006 PA Trout Unlimited annual conservation awards were given out at the State Council’s Fall Meeting. Here’s the summary of the event published by PA Trout Unlimited.

Congratulations to all who won and to all those many others who are also doing superlative work for trout and the coldwater resource, but did not win this year. Judging so many worthwhile activities and efforts is always difficult ... but here are the best of the best.

Thanks to Awards Co-chairs Frank Viozzi and Gerry Miller for overseeing PATU’s recognition program.

The Edward J. Urbas Best Chapter Award was presented to the Valley Forge Chapter (Chester County). The chapter has a “wonderful history,” says Viozzi. They went from just two members to currently over 700 and have worked on streams and conservation issues continuously during their 30 years.

The chapter is involved in advocacy programs with far-reaching results, including stream designation upgrades, stream reclamation, pollution monitoring, and actions against polluters, securing of easements and restrictive covenants, and cquiring of legal standing in dealings with townships.

The Valley Forge Chapter has been able to intervene in planning and zoning matters, including stormwater management, which is a huge issue in the southeast region.

The Chapter with the Greatest Membership Increase Award was also won by Valley Forge. They gained 31 new members last year.

The Best Chapter Project Award was won by Muddy Creek Chapter (York County). The chapter was recognized for its work on the North Branch of Muddy Creek, where they improved over 2,700 feet of stream.

They received $202,000 for the work, which Viozzi notes is “pretty impressive for a small chapter.” Their membership provided 432 man-hours in labor to the project. The chapter included streamside landowners from the onset of the work and continue to earn support by building fishermen’s ladders to protect fences. They kept the work area “No Trespassing” for one year, to allow the riparian buffer to mature. They also included other groups, such as the Boy Scouts, in their efforts on the North Branch.

The Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist (TU Member) Award was given to Tom Shetterly. A founding member of the Chestnut Ridge Chapter, Shetterly’s accomplishments are many. He is a good communicator of his vision for restoration, public education and enhanced recreational opportunities in the Youghiogheny River watershed.

To do that he assembled very diverse partners. The on-stream work Shetterly has been involved in resulted in a stream that was impaired by acid mine drainage becoming a Class A waterway, with naturally reproducing brook trout. Other work includes using trout fry raised in cage culture as an indicator of water quality and placing gravel beds in the stream to facilitate spawning.

Shetterly inspired construction of a dozen stairway access points to the stream in difficult-to-reach places, as well as the building of handicapped-accessible sites.  “Shetterly works on chapter business constantly,” says Viozzi. He was also named as a commissioner for the Fish and Boat Commission.

The Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist Award (Professional) was presented to Jason Smith of the Forks of the Delaware Chapter. Smith works for Hanover Engineering Associates, Inc., dealing with conservation issues.

He has worked with municipalities to develop their maps, facilitating easements, greenways, riparian protection and other conservation measures. Smith is also a supervisor for Bushkill Township.

The Dr. Jack Beck Award for Outstanding Youth Outreach was won by Muddy Creek Chapter. Muddy Creek Chapter awarded scholarships to two youths to attend the Rivers Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp this year.

They instructed a Boy Scout troop in fly-tying, fly-fishing and entomology. The local troop also participated with the chapter in stream work, completing service hours and learning conservation techniques. The chapter is working with two scouts on aaccomplishing merit badges toward their Eagle Scout award. They also elected an 18-year-old to their chapter board.

(Reprinted from PA Trout News, Winter 2007)

12/8/2006