Want to help brook trout and reduce climate change? If you own forested land or know someone who does, please read this flier.
Want to help brook trout and reduce climate change? If you own forested land or know someone who does, please read this flier.
Help Protect Maine’s Brook Trout — Starting in the Woods
Climate change is the single biggest threat to Maine’s native brook trout. As air temperatures rise, streams warm, summer flows shrink, and the cold, clean water that brook trout depend on becomes harder to find. One of the most effective tools we have to slow this trend is also one of the simplest: keeping forests intact. If you own forested land, you may be able to help fight climate change — and receive income for doing so — by enrolling your property in a forest carbon program. These programs compensate landowners for maintaining healthy forests that store carbon instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. Forest carbon programs work by connecting landowners with organizations that value carbon storage as a climate solution. In return, participating landowners commit to long-term forest conservation, with strong limits on commercial logging for the life of the agreement. Program terms vary, including minimum acreage and contract length, so landowners should review details carefully. Why does this matter for trout? Healthy, intact forests shade streams, reduce erosion, and help maintain cold summer flows — all of which are critical for brook trout as Maine’s climate continues to warm. Trout Unlimited does not endorse any specific carbon program or developer. The Maine TU Council does, however, encourage members to learn more about forest carbon opportunities as one conservation-oriented option that can benefit both landowners and coldwater fisheries. If you own forested land, please take a few minutes to see whether your property may be eligible. If you don’t, please share this opportunity with friends, family members, or neighbors who do.
