Featured Flyshop: Telluride Angler
What is your story and where did your passion for climate-friendliness and protecting your watershed come from? Who are you? What do you do?
ALLIE: Allie Cunningham- Volunteer Coordinator for Science on the Fly, Telluride Angler staff, Water Quality Field Assistant for Western Stream Works. Ever since I could remember, I was always finding ways to be outdoors. I grew up about 20 minutes inland from the coast of SE Massachusetts, surrounded by woods, ponds and cranberry bogs. Starting at age 11, I was fortunate to go out west and start fly fishing and backpacking at a summer ranch camp. This just furthered my passion for the outdoors. In my spare time you will find me outside fly fishing, hiking, skiing, sailing, gardening or just wandering around the woods. Many referred to me as “Nature Girl” as I always took it upon myself to teach my peers about animal tracks, plants and more. In college, I studied Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and later moved to Telluride. For the past 5 years I have been cleaning the water that was affected by old mine tailings in the region, working at Telluride Angler and teaching the youth how to be stewards of their land. Since living in SW Colorado and experiencing two extreme droughts as well as seeing the long-term damages done from mining, my passion to protect the watershed and the environment has only increased.
TROY: Troy Youngfleish, co-owner of Telluride Angler/Telluride Outside. Spending time in the outdoors was a major part of my upbringing in central and northern Pennsylvania. Whether it be hunting, fishing or the constant search for snakes and salamanders under rocks and wood piles, the mountains and valleys of PA were my playground. This passion for all things outside only accelerated after moving to Telluride, CO in 1992, with the additions of skiing and rafting to my daily life. My interest in watershed health and climate issues as a whole is the result of a life, both personal and professional, that has a deep connection with a natural world under threat.
JOHN: Having grown up on Puget Sound and lived my entire adulthood on the San Miguel River, water and life seem inseparable. Every day we make observations about our home river, whether in high fishing season or bursting with spring runoff or frozen bank-to-bank. It is a living thing. When the river is happy, I am happy. I got my start guiding for Telluride Outside in 1991 and have been an owner since 2001. This is all I ever wanted to do.
What is in your 'backyard'? What is your local watershed/river and what significance does it have for your local economy?
ALLIE: SW Colorado is my backyard- more specifically San Miguel County. The local watershed is the San Miguel River- which is the pulse of the county. It contributes to our local economy for recreational rafting and fishing as well as supplies many of the towns with water needed for agriculture. I would not have an income if it was not for the San Miguel Watershed. Telluride relies on precipitation, in both winter and summer, to have a successful economy.
TROY: We are fortunate, in Telluride, to have the headwaters of the San Miguel River begin it's journey westward through the commercial district where our shop is located. Simply put, the San Miguel is the face, the sound and the soul of Telluride Angler. Whether it is Brook trout in the pool beneath the gondola, tricky boulder strewn rapids 20 miles down river or athletic Brown trout that call Keystone Falls home, the San Miguel represents who we are and what we do. Our economic ties to this watershed cannot be underestimated.
JOHN: Our backyard rivers are the San Miguel and Upper Dolores, little known trout streams in a lightly populated part of Colorado. The recreational value of these freestone rivers can’t be overstated. Exceptional public access and extraordinary beauty offer an old-world trout fishing experience. Preserving rivers of this nature is especially compelling because there aren’t many left. When sampling these rivers, we are testing waters flowing directly from the source. The San Miguel and Dolores are the heart of the local economy, supporting guide services, agriculture and other business sectors. As an owner of Telluride Angler, I am acutely aware of the importance of protecting our rivers. For us, they are the lifeblood.
Why do you feel it is important to contribute to the research of your watershed health? What is this research going to tell us about our future and the actionable steps that are needed?
ALLIE: Our research is vital when it comes to protecting the health of the watershed. It has already been hard hit due to all the mining activity in the area, and with increased temperatures and more drought occurrences- it has become extremely stressed. It is important to be hands-on with this research to help find important trends with how climate change has been impacting our watershed. The San Miguel River is a freestone river- coming from the high alpine mountains and eventually ending up in the Colorado River. If we can see patterns here, and on other watersheds, we will be more equipped with the data to drive more action and more policies to help protect our rivers and environments here and in other watersheds.
TROY: It is not only important for us to be involved in ongoing research in regards to the health of the watershed, it is our responsibility. While we have a lot at stake from a commercial standpoint, I am motivated by my personal love of this river. I am excited to be involved with the consistent monitoring of the San Miguel, with the hope of identifying any and all environmental and human impacts that may be negatively affecting the overall health of the basin and implementing policy or behavioral changes to improve conditions.
JOHN: We don’t live in a world where we can expect environmental problems to just solve themselves. I hope we gather data that helps combat global warming and other man-made catastrophes. Close to home, the San Miguel has a low rate of natural fish reproduction. My unscientific observation is that the path of infertility may be traced to mining sites in the San Miguel headwaters near Ophir. I want to find and fix the source of whatever potential water quality problems may contribute to this mystery. Fish reproduce successfully in the San Miguel’s creek tributaries, but not in the main branch of the river.
How can we inspire more people to give a damn about creating or enforcing policies focused on watershed health and/or climate change? What is its importance to you?
ALLIE: I love bringing other guides, clients, friends and youth out to the river and having them sample. The act of sampling alone will open the minds of many individuals and make them more aware, connected and motivated to protect their watershed. With this data that we are collecting and the trends we are seeing- like another extreme drought year- it will only motivate those individuals further to help protect the watershed.
TROY: I believe engaging the public on a practical level is the formula for change. The SOTF model is based on gaining interest and participation through people's connection to fly fishing, a real time relationship to the watershed in their region. By involving fly shops, guides and local anglers we have the opportunity to reach a huge audience that may not have an inherent desire to get involved with climate change issues but do want to have an enjoyable, successful fly fishing trip. The ability to tie the cause and effect of river health to a specific fishing outing provides a platform for discussion regarding the personal stake we all have in working towards change.
JOHN: Conservation needs to be apolitical. A lost river is lost to all.
Since joining SOTF, have you observed your watershed differently. If so, how? Is there anything you are doing differently as a guide, angler and environmental conservationist to help further protect your watershed?
ALLIE: Absolutely. While sampling or fly fishing, I am now looking at the whole watershed. From the water to the hatches to the bedrock and everything in between it all must work together to be able to be sustainable. I wasn’t one to take a water temperature each time I went fly fishing- but I do that every time now. Every angler should take action and get a thermometer and keep their own field journal. Immediately you will feel more connected to your watershed and I bet you will become a stronger angler.
TROY: While I have always been the person who drives with one eye on the river, my involvement with SOTF has only sharpened the way I look at watersheds. Instead of being solely focused on the runs and riffles where I believe fish live, my mind often wanders upstream to what factors may be negatively affecting the health and sustainability of those fish I love.
JOHN: Like any other kind of caregiving, river stewardship deeply rewards the steward. We share this with our clients every day, all year. As guides, we have an opportunity to enjoy time on the river with people who live far away. We hope they take a little bit of the river home with them. If you love to fish, you must be a conservationist. Otherwise, you will lose what you love. As a fly shop, we must work on three levels: direct conservation efforts, fundraising and information sharing. The more we involve our customers in all three aspects, the more far reaching and successful will be our efforts.