Find Your Niche
The deteriorating health of our waters affects all of us, so before it’s too late, commit to making a difference by taking one or more of the following actions.
As an individual -
Be the eyes and ears: Be observant of changes to water quality and quantity. Sometimes these changes can be subtle, like changes in color. Sometimes they can be overt like channelization, damming, and poor land management. Contact your state wildlife agency when you see something that doesn’t look right. Being the eyes and ears for the professionals extends their reach. For a list of state agency contacts click here.
Get involved in land use decisions: Planning boards, conservation districts, townships, counties, and most public land management agencies ask for public input. Be there and ask the question “How does this decision affect waters that sustain wild Brook Trout?” Provide your support for conserving Brook Trout habitat.
Broaden your awareness: The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture website contains lots of practical, usable information about brook trout conservation. Get informed, and then use your knowledge to influence others to support the conservation of brook trout habitat. 
Find your watershed: Knowing your watershed address is the first step to being a good steward of the environment in your backyard. The USEPA's "How's my waterway" site provides an easy place to begin, and helps you understand the unique features and threats to your local waterway.
Volunteer: Spend time doing habitat improvement work or get involved with watershed associations or other similar conservation groups.
As a landowner -
Consider an easement - A conservation easement is one of best ways to ensure the land you own is protected into the future, and also can provide tax savings to you! For more information about easements, check out resources by the American Forest Foundation.
Use this tool from the Land Trust Alliance to find a land trust near you. A land trust can help you set up a conservation easement, donate your land, and help you enact conservation practices on your land.
Plant trees and native vegetation in the streamside corridor to protect the stream from pollutants and to help prevent flooding.
Use good conservation practices on your farm, like fencing livestock out of streams and cover crops.
Use our landowner resources page to find links to people, agencies, and funding sources to help you.
As an organization -
Support Brook Trout Conservation: Brook Trout serve as the “canary in the coal mine” for our waters. The presence of viable wild Brook Trout populations indicates waters are clean and healthy.
Join the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture: The structure of this Fish Habitat Partnership is designed so that organizations can participate at the level of their choice -- from range-wide to the local project level. To learn more about the EBTJV and how you can join click here.
Become Familiar with the Eastern Brook Trout Conservation Strategies: Many organizations have conservation goals that benefit wild Brook Trout. By becoming familiar with EBTJV's Conservation Strategies you will be well positioned to assist in implementing collaborative conservation actions.
As a business -
Implement Brook Trout Friendly Business Practices: Business practices that sustain the health of our water can make enormous contributions to conserving wild Brook Trout.
Contribute your Expertise or Resources to the Cause: Businesses possess assets that can support wild Brook Trout conservation. From public relations talent to equipment rental, conservation easements to corporate volunteer programs, business contributions are needed and highly valued.
Make a donation
Your financial support is vital to conserving wild Brook Trout so please Donate Now
We'd love to have you 'be a part' of our on-the-ground projects and outreach efforts. Making a tax-deductible donation to support the mission of the EBTJV may take a few moments, but will last for generations by helping us keep wild brook trout on the map. ANY amount is appreciated. We are proud to partner with Beyond the Pond, a 501 c(3) organization that handles donations for many Fish Habitat Partnerships. Just click on Donate Now and then select Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture in the first drop down menu to ensure that your gift goes to conserving brook trout in the native eastern range. If you have any questions, please reach out to EBTJV coordinator at lori.maloney@canaanvi.org.
Every individual, organization, and business can contribute to conserving the health of our waters, thereby safeguarding wild Brook Trout. Your investment of time and resources to this cause pays substantial dividends as you also sustain outdoor recreation, generate economic vitality in local communities, and provide inherent values to be enjoyed both today and tomorrow.
We thank you for your support!
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