Conservation in our Lifetime:
Founded in 1983 by a group of fly-fishing conservationists, Oregon Trout started the wild fish discussion in the Pacific Northwest, working to protect and restore native fish and their ecosystems. While remaining true to that original mission, we have since evolved from a niche interest group to an organization that seeks holistic and watershed-wide approaches to the root causes of declines in water health. With more than two decades of science-based conservation and education work behind it, Oregon Trout has earned respect as a collaborative, results-oriented group seeking long-term solutions to issues concerning river and stream health.

StreamBank™
StreamBank™ works to accelerate and amplify stream restoration efforts by expediting projects on private land. StreamBank™ provides an easy-to-use, web-based interface for private landowners and local restoration professionals to quickly identify and obtain necessary permits and restoration dollars based on project type, geographic location, science-based restoration needs and funding priorities.  Because the biological outcomes and funding requirements associated with stream restoration hold common denominators, algorithms automate processes to increase funding speed, reduce bureaucratic inefficiency and redundancy, and better leverage dollars while still ensuring achievement of biological objectives and environmentally beneficial work quality.

Habitat Program
At Oregon Trout, we work to build a better quality of life by promoting solutions to complex environmental problems with the belief that vibrant communities and restored watersheds can coexist. Habitat loss is the single most important factor contributing to native fish declines, and restoring habitat function is critical to native fish productivity. By first identifying key “anchor habitats” or “refugia” for native salmonids and then working with stakeholders on restoration and education, our Fish Refuge Program takes direct aim at what may be our best, last chance to provide long-term protection and restoration to these species and the stream ecosystems upon which we all depend. For all projects, we work to purchase supplies and hire contractors locally, providing the ingredients for development of restoration-based local economies.

Healthy Waters Institute
Successfully launched in fall 2005, Oregon Trout’s Healthy Waters Institute (HWI) forges a lifelong caretaking bond between students and their local watersheds by inviting them to participate in inquiry-based field experiences and locally-driven stewardship projects. HWI works collaboratively with teachers, school administration, and community partners to provide a supportive framework through which schools can easily offer students multiple interactions with the natural world relevant to existing curricula. HWI supports student projects by providing them with opportunities and resources to develop and implement independently driven projects addressing real community needs. By uniting education, community, and local stewardship, HWI takes an active role in cultivating the next generation of watershed stewards.