Lot's of thoughts on the topic having been involved in conservation groups of all types in a number of different roles and states...Random thoughts in random order.
1. The age thing is pretty striking. I'm mid-40s and am generally one of the "young guys". Maybe others join later in life? I will say at Coulee Region TU is a good bit younger than other groups I've been part of.
2. Many of the groups become sort of "old boys clubs". Breaking in can probably be a little difficult but it also doesn't take zero or next to zero effort on your part, either. Groups can be what you make of them. Make an effort to meet people - even if, like for me, it's not what you're really great at. If it matters to you, you'll do it.
3. I worry that if some of these groups sort of die out - not sure if that will happen or not - where does conservation and advocacy come from? The boards, Instagram, and all the other stuff is great but it doesn't provide many boots on the ground, dollars into projects, and lobbying for our collective interests against CAFOs, mining, and other environmental issues. Again, maybe it's something that most people get more involved in later in life once the kids are out of the house, your retired, etc.
I think it's severely undervalued what groups like TU have done to maintain and improve trout fisheries. Some good friends are some of the unsung folks that spend their "free time" fighting against more pollution, more water withdrawals, less regulations on manure handling, etc. And because they're part of a larger, collective group, they're listened to more often (though not always as much as we'd like).
Ultimately, while not perfect, I think these organizations are pretty critical. They probably need to do a better job of being more inclusive. Many also need to do more to do something to care for the resource that they use. Organized groups tend to do a much better job of preserving, restoring, educating, and advocating for trout and their environments.
Edit to add, there is a difference between a trout fishing club and a conservation organization. TU sort of tries to be both but ultimately, it's a conservation organization as that's how it was founded and what it does best.
Edited by user Wednesday, September 26, 2018 1:49:33 AM(UTC)
| Reason: added some more crap...