River Restoration Adventures For Tomorrow

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Amy Ramsey
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River Restoration Adventures For Tomorrow 2017

responsibility through environmental steward-ship

1 River Restoration Adventures For Tomorrow 2017 ANNUAL REPORT OUR MISSION: RRAFT seeks to aid in the restoration, conservation, and research of important river corridors, while fostering responsibility through environmental steward-ship and education in order to preserve our watersheds for the future.

CONTENTS Letter from the Director 2017 In Review Project Spotlight Feature RRAFT Guide Budget Review 2018 and Beyond Board of Directors Sponsors and Donors Letter from the director 2017 was a year of

2 CONTENTS Letter from the Director 2017 In Review Project Spotlight Feature RRAFT Guide Budget Review 2018 and Beyond Board of Directors Sponsors and Donors Letter from the director 2017 was a year of transition and balance. With the help of numerous grant sponsors, generous donors, volunteers, and collaborative partnerships, RRAFT participated in more handson river conservation work than ever before. Through a focus on multi-day projects and target project areas, we were able to spread the breadth of our impact to both new stretches of river and participants from new communities. In 2017, our team was able to come together to complete multi-day and single day ventures on the river, each including a critical project such as willow planting, invasive species removal, and continued GIS monitoring to track our progress. Over the course of the summer we affected over 100 miles of river on Tomichi Creek, the Gunnison River and the Colorado River. We were proud to work with many returning partners this year, including the Southwest Conservation Corps Ancestral Lands program, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the Uncompahgre Partnership, and the Can d Aid Foundation. These growing relationships allowed us to continue important work along familiar river corridors, and to strengthen our conservation network on the Western Slope. We are fortunate to have worked closely with these groups for multiple seasons, and look forward to doing so again in Looking ahead I can say with confidence that RRAFT has a bright future. As we continue to build upon the foundation that we have established over the last four years, RRAFT is well on the way to another successful year in Especially in this turbulent time for the environment, we are privileged to have the support of sponsors, partners, and our river community. We look forward to bolstering our impact again in the coming year! See you on the river!

2017 in Review This year we worked on 5 different stretches of river, with 31 participants.

along riverbanks. Our participants dedicated a total of over 800 hours (worth $19,312) to conservation projects on the river!

We celebrated with a float afterwards on the Gunnison River!

3 2017 in Review This year we worked on 5 different stretches of river, with 31 participants. We affected over 100 river miles with conservation work, planted one truckload of willows, removed over 210 invasive Russian Olive trees and treated or removed over 250 other invasive plant species along riverbanks. Our participants dedicated a total of over 800 hours (worth $19,312) to conservation projects on the river! Highlights In collaboration with the Gunnison Angling Society of Trout Unlimited, volunteers from the Can d Aid Foundation helped plant willows all morning along Tomichi Creek in Gunnison Colorado. We celebrated with a float afterwards on the Gunnison River! For the third year in a row, a crew from the Southwest Conservation Corps Ancestral Lands Program and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area staff joined us in Cataract Canyon! This year the trip focused on invasive plant removal, treatment, and monitoring. We also monitored and attempted mistnetting bats! RRAFT staff and local volunteers put in hundreds of hours removing invasive Russian Olive from the banks of the Lower Gunnison River near Pleasure Park this Fall. We are proud to say that the North banks and islands for an entire 8 mile stretch of river are now clear of this nuisance to river health! This project was a collaboration with the Uncompahgre Partnership and the BLM.

Project Spotlight: Cataract Canyon RRAFT had a fantastic trip in Cataract Canyon this year, continuing work on the 21 st Century Conservation Corps Called to Action Along the Colorado River project

We again worked with the Southwest Conservation Corps Ancestral Lands program and staff from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to implement critical river corridor improvement projects in the

During the eight-day trip this year, we monitored for invasive species, treated and removed multiple different target invasive plant species including Russian Knapweed, Russian Olive, and Common

4 Project Spotlight: Cataract Canyon RRAFT had a fantastic trip in Cataract Canyon this year, continuing work on the 21 st Century Conservation Corps Called to Action Along the Colorado River project for the third year in a row! We again worked with the Southwest Conservation Corps Ancestral Lands program and staff from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to implement critical river corridor improvement projects in the canyon. During the eight-day trip this year, we monitored for invasive species, treated and removed multiple different target invasive plant species including Russian Knapweed, Russian Olive, and Common Mullein, and provided maintenance for Cottonwood planting sites. We also monitored bats and surveyed birds throughout the entire 94 mile stretch of river. Over the past three years our crew has spotted a total of 94 different species of birds! The work we have done in Glen Canyon has continued to improve campsite access, and has provided critical information regarding the health of the river corridor. Information gathered on these trips will help the park service staff to better strategize and implement upcoming management plans for the area. In the coming years we hope to continue this work to maintain the positive trend toward better riparian health in the canyon, as well as to begin an adopt-a-campsite program to get other boaters involved!

Feature RRAFT Guide: Emily Koehn Emily is new to the RRAFT team this year! She brings her passion for rivers, an artistic edge, and a fun new energy to our crew!

In 2014 I was part of a field program through Northern Arizona University called Grand Canyon Semester.

I got bit by the bug hard, and thankfully there was a guide on the trip who took me under his wing and told me how I could do this for a living.

For me, it's about being able to find the ultimate peace within yourself. But not just for me, for everyone.

5 Feature RRAFT Guide: Emily Koehn Emily is new to the RRAFT team this year! She brings her passion for rivers, an artistic edge, and a fun new energy to our crew! She currently works as a guide for OARS in Idaho, and lives in Flagstaff in the winter. Hometown - Houston, TX Favorite river - Main Salmon, ID How did you get into raft guiding? In 2014 I was part of a field program through Northern Arizona University called Grand Canyon Semester. It focused on environmental science, anthropology, and politics of the Colorado Plateau. The culmination of the semester was a Grand Canyon river trip. I got bit by the bug hard, and thankfully there was a guide on the trip who took me under his wing and told me how I could do this for a living. The following summer I got a job working on the Yellowstone River in Montana. Why is river conservation important to you? For me, it's about being able to find the ultimate peace within yourself. But not just for me, for everyone. I think that to truly understand a place, you need to go to its life line and that's water. So much of our existence depends on a river flowing healthy and that is the ultimate quest. I want generations of people ahead of me to float down a river a find that sense of awe that is so rare these days and find comfort in knowing that it will stay that way. In her spare time, Emily creates unique pen and ink drawings! Pictured here, State of Rivers - Utah, and Colorado.

Budget Review 2017 Expenses 600.91 3751.13 12177.41 5206.17 7142.41 Total: $28,878.

We purchased a significant amount of gear from our partner Down River Equipment to outfit a motorized cataraft setup.

We were able to pay four employees competitive wages to work as sawyers and/or river guides, as well as pay our administrative staff and fund our operational expenses.

6 Budget Review 2017 Expenses Total: $28, Travel General Admin Liabilities Capital and Equipment Programming RRAFT s expenses in 2017 were largely spent investing back into the organization. We purchased a significant amount of gear from our partner Down River Equipment to outfit a motorized cataraft setup. This new addition to our fleet of boats greatly expands our project capabilities as well as increases our efficiency on long multi-day trips. We were able to pay four employees competitive wages to work as sawyers and/or river guides, as well as pay our administrative staff and fund our operational expenses. Through discounts, partnerships, and generous donations, we were able to keep our program expenses down while still providing high quality experiences for our participants! 2017 Income Corporate Total: $29, Contributions Public Support Assets Program income (direct project support) Government Contracts (NPS) This year our income came from a few key sources. RRAFT won a contract with the National Park Service to complete a third Cataract Canyon trip. This was our largest source of income, and our largest trip! We also worked closely with the Uncompahgre Partnership again this year; they provided direct project support for our Russian Olive removal trips on the Gunnison River. Public support was slightly down this year, so looking forward we hope to boost our donations again for the upcoming fiscal year. We were able to keep a buffer in our bank account assets this year and repay our business loan from the previous year!

2018 and Beyond RRAFT is looking forward to another fantastic year in 2018.

Our focus for the upcoming year lies once again in increasing our direct impact on the health of our western rivers.

7 2018 and Beyond RRAFT is looking forward to another fantastic year in With several projects already in the works including efforts from previous years and some new ideas coming to fruition, we are sure to be busy once again. Our focus for the upcoming year lies once again in increasing our direct impact on the health of our western rivers. We hope to continue our focus on multi-day work trips, giving us more time on the river instead of on the road. In addition, we aim to work with new communities to get more people involved and interested in river conservation! KEY GOALS Continue work on existing projects in familiar river corridors Grow relationships with current partners Build relationships with new communities and groups Improve riparian health in the West Engage new communities in local river conservation projects Connect participants to their local watersheds

8 Board of Directors River'Restoration'Adventures'for'Tomorrow' The following individuals serve as the Board of Directors for River Restoration Adventures for Tomorrow. The Board controls all governing policies, financial commitments, and organizational priorities. TIM$LEISHMAN+$BOARD$CHAIR$ Tim graduated from Black Hills State University in He received his Bachelors of Science in Environmental History and a Minor in Outdoor Education. Tim worked seasonally for 8 years with the United States Forest Service on the Black Hills NF and the Gunnison NF. His seasonal work focused around timber management, timber stand improvement, timber sale administration, NEPA planning and implementation, and silviculture. In the Fall of 2014, Tim took a permanent Forester position on the San Juan National Forest based out of the Pagosa Ranger District and has been appointed as the field representative on the San Juan Forest Leadership Team. Tim brings a strong background in inter-agency networking, monitoring, ecosystem analysis, project management, and habitat conservation to the RRAFT team. His passion and love for rivers and their ecosystems is contagious. Tim is the Board Chairman for the 2016 fiscal year and could not be more excited! Tim also has a strong environmental education background; he is a certified instructor in Project Wild, Project WET, Project Aquatic, Project Learning Tree, and the Aldo Leopold Land Ethic. $ MERRILL$WARREN$ Merrill Warren grew up near Auburn, California, playing in the Sierra Nevada and the American River Canyon. Her adventures have since taken her around the world, including time living and studying in Spain. Merrill graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2012, with a B.A. in Anthropology. She has worked as a horse packer in the Sierra, a dog handler on the Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, and as an intern for the US Forest Service, Range Department, in Gunnison, Colorado. Since 2013, she has worked with clean water initiatives in Zambia. She is an active director on the board of The Kensington Conservancy, a land trust that works to protect lands and waters in northern Ontario. A two-time NOLS grad and a Wilderness EMT, Merrill lives in Bozeman, and works for Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation. KRISTEN$HARTEL$ Kristen graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor s Degree in English and a Minor in Geology. She holds certifications by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED Green Associate, LEED AP+ for Homes, LEED for Homes Green Rater, LEED for Homes QAD, is a RESNET-certified HERS rater, and holds a Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowledge from BPI. Kristen focuses on energy performance testing for new and existing homes and buildings, helping new construction projects meet updated energy codes, and supporting homeowners and contractors through the LEED for Homes process. Kristen brings a wide array of passion and experience to RRAFT. She is an active boater and supports the organization through her commitment to experiential education and sustainability practices. ' '

Board of Directors, continued ' ' MIKE$WIGHT$ Mike spent five seasons with the Forest Service in Arizona while working towards his B.S. in Ecology and Natural History at Prescott College.

Mike has directed small corps programs, served as Project Coordinator for RMYC (CO) and spent five years as Academic Director for an alternative high school focused on service learning and outdoor

9 Board of Directors, continued ' ' MIKE$WIGHT$ Mike spent five seasons with the Forest Service in Arizona while working towards his B.S. in Ecology and Natural History at Prescott College. His final studies included conducting Wild and Scenic river research in the Grand Canyon. Mike has directed small corps programs, served as Project Coordinator for RMYC (CO) and spent five years as Academic Director for an alternative high school focused on service learning and outdoor experience. Throughout this time he became more passionate about the Southwest s amazing rivers and was also a river instructor with Outward Bound. Joining SCC as River Restoration Director was a culmination of Mike s varied experiences. Four-years after beginning the position, he finds great value in engaging young adults in riparian restoration, while supporting watershed length, collaborative habitat restoration initiatives on the Dolores, Verde, Escalante and Gila rivers with five conservation corps programs and a wide host of partners. LEO$MALLOY$ Leo is the high-school Outdoor Education teacher at Gunnison High School. Over the years he has developed a rich and comprehensive program for young students based on experiential learning and field based education in the outdoor playground of the Gunnison Valley. Throughout his courses, Leo always makes a point of including leave-no-trace ethics in the curriculum and works to instill a sense of place, often doing community service work as an addition to the recreational aspect of a trip. His experience comes from many backgrounds, including time as an Outward Bound instructor, AMGA certification, and his work as an author of the Gunnison Valley's complete rock climbing guide, Gunnison Rock, amidst a long list of other grand accomplishments. Lorem'&'Ipsum' ' 2

Foundation Chas Robles Christopher John Conservation Legacy Dan Omasta Dawna Capaldi Diana Ralston Donna and Randy Omasta Down

Gunnison River Farms Jesse Kruthaupt Jessica Rosado Kevin Noreen Kristen Hartel Leo Malloy Lonnie Pilkington Mary Hodges

10 THANK YOU!! 2017 Volunteers, Sponsors, and Donors Adam Malone Andy Bingle Ben Bloodworth Brandon Barber Briant Wiles CAN'd Aid Foundation Chas Robles Christopher John Conservation Legacy Dan Omasta Dawna Capaldi Diana Ralston Donna and Randy Omasta Down River Equipment Emily Katz Emily Koehn Firebrand Restaurant Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Gunnison Angling Society Gunnison River Farms Jesse Kruthaupt Jessica Rosado Kevin Noreen Kristen Hartel Leo Malloy Lonnie Pilkington Mary Hodges Merrill Warren Mike Berg Mike Wight Nolan Notah NoreenArt OARS Canyonlands Oliver Tsui Rig To Flip Rocky Mountain Rafts Rolando Tom Roy Morris Sarah Leavitt Southwest Conservation Corps Sue and Scott Noreen Tim Leishman Uncompahgre Partnership Wilderness Pursuits

Eastern Brook Trout. Roadmap to

Eastern Brook Trout. Roadmap to Eastern Brook Trout Roadmap to CONSERVATION Our Brook Trout heritage he wild Brook Trout is an American symbol of persistence, adaptability, and the pristine wilderness that covered North America prior