5 Year Celebration Kickoff

Dear friends,

Rivers are the circulatory system of this planet. They are arteries connecting mountains to the sea, they deliver water to communities, they provide vital habitat for wildlife across the globe—and they reflect what is going on in the landscape surrounding them. Protecting rivers means protecting lands, it means protecting oceans, it means protecting biodiversity, it means protecting life on this planet. They are the ultimate connectors to all that brings us life. No one knows this more than people who fish.

When you spend as much time on rivers as we do, it’s impossible not to notice changes—from slight shifts on when the hatch hits each season, to drastic spikes in temperatures that are lethal to cold-water fish. When we fish our home waters, we get to know them, to love them, and when called to—we step up to protect them. Because we know that when we protect a river, we protect the whole system—including the people in it.

This vital connection launched Science on the Fly five years ago in a fly shop in Telluride and on the trout streams that slice through those rugged peaks and valleys. I volunteered to be our first Community Scientist and for five years, I’ve worked alongside our co-founders, Dr. Max Holmes and Johnny Land Le Coq, the Woodwell Climate team and dedicated anglers to build a robust network of more than 150 Community Scientists, in 350 locations and in six countries around the world with a single goal: Unite the fly fishing community and river scientists to study, protect and restore rivers around the world.

As a part of our community, you’re helping us do just that- thank you! Science on the Fly has always been a community effort. Built from the ground up, one river and stream at a time, the fly fishing community shows up time and again. And it's not just to fish.

This community grounds everything Science on the Fly has done to date, and anchors us as we continue our work building a global movement to tell the story of the rivers we love to fish, and work together to safeguard the rivers and streams that deliver water and a way of life for communities—whether that is in the Amazon, the Arctic or the American West.

Resilience and success is baked in because we know in our bones: When we fish, when we stand strong in our home waters, we can’t help but fall in love with them and that love, that place, that bond of an angler with their river—it’s worth fighting for.

Now through December 19th, we are taking the time to celebrate our 5-Year Anniversary by shining a bright light on our community of anglers, scientists, and our rivers. I hope you join in on the fun, share your experiences on the river, and continue supporting Science on the Fly. Each participant will be entered in wonderful giveaways from our river partners and your support will help us kickstart our next 5 years of community science.

Cheers to the rivers! Cheers to Science on the Fly’s 5th Anniversary! Cheers to you and other members of our wonderful community!

In gratitude,