2021 Conservationist of the Year

[krayfish2]

PFBC COMMISSIONER HONORED AS "2021 CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR" BY FLY FISHERMAN MAGAZINE


Link to FFM article:
https://www.flyfisherman.com/editorial/2021-conservationist-of-the-year/387254

Am I missing something?

 

[larkmark]

I don't know this guy. I do know that Trout Unlimited and other organizations might do a lot of worthwhile projects but the Lackawanna River "recovered' for reasons that have NOTHING to do with man's actions other than ending coal mining. A lot of this stuff is plain and simple, self congratulatory horn tooting.

 

[govtmule]

Charlie has done a lot im guessing more than most on here so i say congrats on being recognized

 

[afishinado]

larkmark wrote:
I don't know this guy. I do know that Trout Unlimited and other organizations might do a lot of worthwhile projects but the Lackawanna River "recovered' for reasons that have NOTHING to do with man's actions other than ending coal mining. A lot of this stuff is plain and simple, self congratulatory horn tooting.

Wow Lark, did you read the article linked?!?

The list of things this guy did for the Lack as well as other streams are as long as your arm!

Things, good things just don't happen on their own.

It takes dedicated and caring people to roll up their sleeves and make things happen.

Congrats to Charlie from me.

I'll tip my hat to him on my next trip to the Lack as a thank you for all the hard work he has done to make and keep the river a great place to fish.

 

[timmyt2]

He should get an award just for having the name Charles Charlesworth, thats epic right there

 

[larkmark]

I have nothing against any of their efforts but the fact is that the river recovered before any of these people came on board. I grew up in Archbald. I saw what happened. Good for them for all they do.

 

[troutbert]

larkmark wrote:
I have nothing against any of their efforts but the fact is that the river recovered before any of these people came on board. I grew up in Archbald. I saw what happened. Good for them for all they do.

When did the river get clean enough to begin supporting wild trout?

I first began fishing there in the early 1990s and it was very good at that time.

I asked several local people when the wild trout started showing up, but never got a clear answer.

 

[larkmark]

1980s

 

[Fly-Swatter]

larkmark, and others who doubt the merits of this award:

From the article: "There were centuries of damage that need to be undone, but the Lackawanna River story is evidence that with help, rivers can come back. But it takes groups like Lackawanna Valley TU, the Lackawanna River Conservation Association, and the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority. And it takes energetic, pivotal individuals like Charles Charlesworth to make it happen.


Due in part to his efforts, much of the Lackawanna River is now a Class A wild trout stream..."

Also:
"When LVTU first got started in 2001, most of the river was not even listed or recognized by the state as a trout stream, and therefore had none of the protective regulations that go along with it. According to Charlesworth, just filing the paperwork and getting adequate recognition and regulations from the state was an important part of the battle. The first step was to have the entire river listed as trout water, and now almost 18 miles of the Lackawanna are designated by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) as either Class A Wild Trout Water or as Trophy Trout Water. There is another 8 miles of designated Stocked Trout Water above that, in flowing water that was once too toxic to even hold trout.

According to Charlesworth, the designations are a chicken-or-the-egg question. Part of the designations are due to actual habitat and water quality improvements, but part of the reason why the Lackawanna is getting better is also because of the special regulations that come along with Class A Wild Water or Trophy Trout Water."

My opinion and observations:

Bernie McGurl (LRCA), Charlie, Greg and many others have not only helped raise awareness of conservation in the Lackawanna River drainage, but have been stalwart defenders of the same. Charlie teaches youth and women's fly fishing courses, has served the local TU Chapter, used his connections to bring awareness of the river, and has gotten his hands in the mud to help clean the river.

The Lack continues to have serious problems with storm runoff due to poor percolation of rainwater within the urban corridor, raw sewage runoff during major rain events, pervasive litter, etc. Wild trout may have begun to appear in the 1980s, but the river can easily revert without constant efforts that stem from the stewardship of good people like Charlie.

To say the river recovered from historic human degradation simply by removing the source of that degradation ignores the dynamic nature of how humans interact with and affect, for good or bad, the environment. As we ALL should know, conservation and improvements require advocates wo do the hard work and spread the mission to others to create other advocates. It is wrong-headed and factually incorrect.

Honestly, there is no good reason to dump cold water (pun intended) on this well deserved acknowledgement of Charlie's efforts. It sure is easy to type opinions on a message board, a lot easier than DOING positive things.

Please correct me if I misinterpreted your comments in posts 2 & 6.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Timmy2: I agree! :lol:

 

[larkmark]

To be clear, I am not saying this guy is not deserving. I applaud anyone making a true effort. I am sure he is a fine person. I just think a lot of these organizations, including Fish Comm. and TU like to claim they should get credit for things that really happened before they showed up and for reasons that had nothing to do with them. I also think in some cases , even on this river there have been decisions made by TU and others that actually did more harm than good. (I will save that for another time) The Clean Water Act and the failing coal mine industry and good old mother nature are what helped this river long before any of these folks showed up.

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:

larkmark wrote:
I have nothing against any of their efforts but the fact is that the river recovered before any of these people came on board. I grew up in Archbald. I saw what happened. Good for them for all they do.

When did the river get clean enough to begin supporting wild trout?

I first began fishing there in the early 1990s and it was very good at that time.

I asked several local people when the wild trout started showing up, but never got a clear answer.

Yes, in the 1980's as Lark posted.

I started to fish there in the early 80's and large trout were well established by then.

The local TV station Channel 16 had and still has a weekly outdoor program called Pennsylvania Outdoor Life in the mid 80's and they did a feature on the river and the trout.

Before that there was just a whisper about large Lack trout in a few of the fly shops and among some anglers.

 

[troutbert]

afishinado wrote:

troutbert wrote:

larkmark wrote:
I have nothing against any of their efforts but the fact is that the river recovered before any of these people came on board. I grew up in Archbald. I saw what happened. Good for them for all they do.

When did the river get clean enough to begin supporting wild trout?

I first began fishing there in the early 1990s and it was very good at that time.

I asked several local people when the wild trout started showing up, but never got a clear answer.

Yes, in the 1980's as Lark posted.

I started to fish there in the early 80's and large trout were well established by then.

The local TV station Channel 16 had and still has a weekly outdoor program called Pennsylvania Outdoor Life in the mid 80's and they did a feature on the river and the trout.

Before that there was just a whisper about large Lack trout in a few of the fly shops and among some anglers.

So the trout were there in the early 1980s.

But where they there in the 1970s? 1960s? Earlier?

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:

afishinado wrote:

troutbert wrote:

larkmark wrote:
I have nothing against any of their efforts but the fact is that the river recovered before any of these people came on board. I grew up in Archbald. I saw what happened. Good for them for all they do.

When did the river get clean enough to begin supporting wild trout?

I first began fishing there in the early 1990s and it was very good at that time.

I asked several local people when the wild trout started showing up, but never got a clear answer.

Yes, in the 1980's as Lark posted.

I started to fish there in the early 80's and large trout were well established by then.

The local TV station Channel 16 had and still has a weekly outdoor program called Pennsylvania Outdoor Life in the mid 80's and they did a feature on the river and the trout.

Before that there was just a whisper about large Lack trout in a few of the fly shops and among some anglers.

So the trout were there in the early 1980s.

But where they there in the 1970s? 1960s? Earlier?

One can only guess, but they were well established by the early 80's and things don't happen overnight, so I surmise they were present at least sometime in the 70's.

I cannot speak to hearing about any population before the 70's.

 

[ryansheehan]

I don't think I agree with Lark but he does make an interesting point. The article says

'When LVTU first got started in 2001, most of the river was not even listed or recognized by the state as a trout stream."

If the river was fishing really well for 20 plus years before this was it all necessary?

 

[RivDiv521]

Larkmark's assessment is correct. The river had wild brown trout throughout much of its length in the 80's. By the late 80's portions of the river were listed as Class A by the PFBC and there was even a special regulation area established.

I think that if Charles had a chance to edit the Beck article before it went to press he would have red lined a number of statements. I'm not saying he does not deserve the award just that there were some misleading statements in the article.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I understand wild browns were in the river since, let's agree, the late 70s?

The difficult thing to assess is what impact things like environmental advocacy and special regulations/designations had (and have) on the river. I do know the guys I mentioned and their associated groups have had a hand in minimizing point source and non-point source pollution that would very likely have diminished the fishery.

Nitpicking points of accuracy in the article is on the writer, not the subject. To imply otherwise is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

In any case, and I know Charlie would be the first person to agree with me, the honor is really about all the helping hands of the people who care about conserving and enhancing this multi use resource. Given the urban location of the Lack, it's an constant uphill struggle.

Just appreciate, don't denigrate. Better yet, get involved and help!

 

[coyoterahn]

Fly-Swatter wrote:
I understand wild browns were in the river since, let's agree, the late 70s?

The difficult thing to assess is what impact things like environmental advocacy and special regulations/designations had (and have) on the river. I do know the guys I mentioned and their associated groups have had a hand in minimizing point source and non-point source pollution that would very likely have diminished the fishery.

Nitpicking points of accuracy in the article is on the writer, not the subject. To imply otherwise is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

In any case, and I know Charlie would be the first person to agree with me, the honor is really about all the helping hands of the people who care about conserving and enhancing this multi use resource. Given the urban location of the Lack, it's an constant uphill struggle.

Just appreciate, don't denigrate. Better yet, get involved and help!

Well said.

 

[dudemanspecial]

Some of you guys really need to take the stick out of your rear end.
Congrats to Charlie. Never heard of him, but sounds like a good man.

 

[troutbert]

Rivers and streams need friends.

And it's good to recognize people doing conservation work.

And accuracy is important, to maintain credibility, and also for the basic ethical reason.

I don't see striving for accuracy as denigration.