In The Arena: Dr. Bryan Watts

September 19, 2024

TRCP’s “In the Arena” series highlights the individual voices of hunters and anglers who, as Theodore Roosevelt so famously said, strive valiantly in the worthy cause of conservation.

Bryan Watts

Hometown: Williamsburg, Virginia
Occupation: Professor and director of the Center for Conservation Biology, College of William & Mary
Conservation credentials: Dr. Watts leads multi-year research efforts on many avian species, including a project tracking long-term osprey nesting success in the Chesapeake Bay. He also founded his college’s Center for Conservation Biology and has designed and conducted more than 1,000 research projects related to birds found throughout the Western Hemisphere and particularly in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Dr. Bryan Watts studies a wide range of avian issues, from waterbirds on barrier island beaches and bald eagles in the Chesapeake Bay to the effects of human-caused stressors on bird species in coastal regions. His ongoing research of osprey reproductive success in the Chesapeake recently has gotten a lot of attention. In 2023 and 2024 his data have shown a significant decline in nesting success for ospreys located in saltwater areas, which he attributes to a lack of menhaden – a critically important forage fish – for food. This apparent lack of menhaden (also known as bunker or pogies), which TRCP and partners have sounded the alarm on for years due to similar negative effects on striped bass and other sportfish that rely on them, has been difficult to demonstrate with hard data due to Virginia’s continued unwillingness to fund a study on local menhaden populations in the Bay. Watts is a Mitchell A. Byrd Research Professor of Conservation Biology with a PhD in ecology from the University of Georgia and 40-plus years of research experience. But long before he ever became an ecological scientist, he was just a kid out in the woods, hunting, fishing, and exploring with the Boy Scouts.

Here is his story.

Watts rappelling down from an eagle nest. Credit: Libby Mojica

I was in the woods with my family before I could walk. When I was five, I started to attend Boy Scouts (my father was Scoutmaster). I was introduced to hunting and fishing by other scouts and Scoutmasters. By the time I was 12, I was spending most of my time in the woods hunting, fishing, trapping, digging ginseng, picking berries, and birding. I was fortunate to spend all of my formative years in the woods surrounded by the natural world. Those times would shape my life’s path.

I have had hundreds of great times in the field in multiple countries, but one that stands out is a float trip on the Greenbrier River in West Virginia. I was 14 and spent two days, along with six other boys and Edsel Whaling, a U.S. Marine Veteran and prominent Scout leader, out on the river. We floated about 30 miles, fishing for smallmouth bass. We slept under an overhang along the river. We cooked bass over a fire and used the heads to catch crayfish in the shallows and cooked them also, in a tin can over the fire. That experience has been hard to beat.

“The smell and sounds of the woods and the feel of the air make me feel like I am home.

If I could hunt or fish anywhere, I would be back along the rivers and high streams of West Virginia, fishing for smallmouth bass or brook trout. There is a familiarity there that makes me feel like I belong. The smell and sounds of the woods and the feel of the air make me feel like I am home.

Watts holding an adult osprey as part of his research in the Chesapeake Bay. Credit: Libby Mojica

I have been a professional conservation biologist for 40 years. I have worked on hundreds of conservation projects addressing many species and many problems. One recent project has investigated the causes of poor breeding performance in Chesapeake Bay osprey. My Center has worked with osprey since 1970. Over the past 20 years, we have become increasingly concerned about the role of menhaden availability in osprey nesting success in the main stem of the Bay. Like many conservation problems, we need to seek a balance between the needs of industry and the ecosystem. I am confident that we can find such a balance.

Healthy osprey chicks in a nest in Chesapeake Bay. Credit: Bryan Watts

I am most proud of the fact that as a community of American outdoorsmen and women, we care about what happens to different species. I have never met a true outdoorsman who did not genuinely care about the welfare of a species. Just knowing that we as a community and society are working toward the welfare of other species really enhances the experience of being outdoors.

The largest conservation challenge that we face in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain is habitat loss. Continued expansion of the urban footprint comes at the expense of natural habitats that many of our most vulnerable species depend on. We are fortunate to have large tracts of unspoiled land owned by government agencies, NGOs, and private individuals. We need to work toward expanding the green infrastructure to protect habitat for future generations. The hunting and fishing community has been one of the strongest supporters of this effort.

Watts with a second-year bald eagle. Credit: Bart Paxton

We have a responsibility to pass on the natural environment that we have enjoyed to future generations. Conservation is an all-hands-on-deck activity. If we do not all work together to restore and protect the species we have now, and the habitats they depend on, we will not have them tomorrow.

A female osprey clutching a menhaden. Credit: Bryan Watts

Everyone who enjoys hunting and fishing and being outdoors understands that we cannot take the natural world for granted. Places and species are treasures to be safeguarded across generations. There is a peace of mind that comes with the knowledge that we have done what we can do to pass these places along.

Do you have any thoughts on this post?

Click here to cancel reply.

by: Noah Davis

posted in: In the Arena

September 12, 2024

In The Arena: Allegheny Native

TRCP’s “In the Arena” series highlights the individual voices of hunters and anglers who, as Theodore Roosevelt so famously said, strive valiantly in the worthy cause of conservation

Joel Snedden, Caleb Stasko, and Nate Burkhart

Hometown: Cambria County, PA
Occupations: Joel (electrician), Caleb (Free-lance filmmaker and photographer), and Nate (part owner of a small business)
Conservation credentials: The creative collaborative established by Joel, Caleb, and Nate, Allegheny Native, uses fishing films set in Pennsylvania to share the beauty of wild trout and wild places and calls for anglers to treat this resource with the utmost respect.

Three central Pennsylvania friends—Joel, Caleb, and Nate—have been producing some of the finest native brook trout content on YouTube through their collaborative: Allegheny Native. The films share the fish’s and landscape’s beauty and the respect and admiration the group holds for the native char. Through their art, the group urges anglers to be good stewards of wild waters and nurture the next generation of anglers, “That way we will always have the outdoor activities we love.”

Here is their story.

Joel: I was introduced to the outdoors at a very young age by my dad and two older brothers. I can’t thank them enough for it.

Nate: I would have to say that my mom and pap got me started in the outdoors and fishing. Every spring, summer, and fall we would venture to northern Pennsylvania, specifically Ole Bull State Park in Potter County. This is where my passion for fishing and the outdoors began!

Caleb: I was introduced to fishing through my dad at a very young age, and hunting through my uncle. My first memories of fishing are at Ole Bull State Park in Potter County, Pennsylvania, and my first memories of hunting are following my uncle on my grandparents’ farm before I was old enough to hunt myself. Spending so much time at Ole Bull State Park camping, fishing, and exploring is the reason I grew up to love the outdoors and conservation as much as I have.

Joel with a camp breakfast fit for a king in the mountains of northern Pennsylvania.

Joel: Back in May 2022, Caleb, Nate, and I set out on a four-day excursion to northern Pennsylvania in search of solitude, scenery, and of course, native brook trout on the fly. It was such a special trip as Caleb came back from Montana and we were all reunited and fishing together for the first time in over a year. Not only were we blessed with each other’s great company and beautiful country, but we had one of our best days on the water together in a very long time. We filmed the whole trip and a lot of it in 16mm film. You can watch Spring Halation on our YouTube channel.

Nate: If I could travel anywhere to fish and be in the outdoors, it would be northern Pennsylvania. There is nothing quite like fishing the mountains of Potter County. We also have a camp in Forest County, and I love to spend my falls there chasing whitetail deer with the bow.

“…conservation ultimately starts with us, and we need to be the role models for future generations, and then hopefully, they can show the next generation, and so on. That way we will always have the outdoor activities we love.”
Joel Snedden

Joel: If I could go anywhere in the state to escape and be outdoors it would definitely be northern Pennsylvania. My family has a camp in Forest County, and we have made many great memories hunting and fishing the Allegheny National Forest and state game lands that surround our camp. But one county still holds a special place in all of our hearts: Potter County. As the sign says when you enter the county: “God’s Country.” There is just something so peaceful and soothing about being there that every problem in your life just seems to fade away as you climb deep into the mountains and your cell phone service disappears and you’re surrounded by nothing but timber and streams.

Caleb: There are so many places across the country and the world I want to see and fish. But lately, after having moved from Pennsylvania to Montana and having fished in Montana and Wyoming, I find myself missing the Northeast and wanting to explore more of those states. If I had to pick one place I had to fish for the rest of my life, I’d pick northern Pennsylvania. If I had to pick one place to take a trip, it would be a northeast state I haven’t seen yet, like Maine.

Joel with a wild, Pennsylvania brown trout.

Joel: Conservation has helped enhance our outdoor lives in so many different ways. I think most importantly it has brought us closer to the game and fish we pursue and also nature as a whole. I would say the biggest conservation issue where we live is pollution. Whether it’s coming from Acid Mine Drainage or from litter. Our streams here have many side effects from AMD, but our banks are also littered with trash.

It is important for us to be involved in conservation because nature needs our help. Humans are the number one cause as to why we have all these problems in the first place, so the least we could do is try and help Mother Nature back on her feet any way we can. It can be as simple as picking up trash as you’re fishing up the stream or writing to your local fish or game wardens to see where you can donate your time to help.

Joel helping the next generation fall in love with fishing.

Conservation should matter to the next generation because without it, and the efforts of so many good people, the things we love such as fishing and hunting will slowly fade into a memory. However, conservation ultimately starts with us, and we need to be the role models for future generations, and then hopefully, they can show the next generation, and so on. That way we will always have the outdoor activities we love.

Photos Courtesy of Allegheny Native.

The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

by: Dan Morgan

posted in: In the Arena

September 3, 2024

In The Arena: Joel Pedersen

TRCP’s “In the Arena” series highlights the individual voices of hunters and anglers who, as Theodore Roosevelt so famously said, strive valiantly in the worthy cause of conservation

Joel Pedersen

Hometown: A Nebraskan at heart.
Occupation: President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
Conservation credentials: Joel Pedersen is a life-long hunter, angler and conservationist. His professional background includes biological administration, hunting access program management, conservation planning, and federal and state legislative strategy. He has served in leadership positions at the Mule Deer Foundation, National Wild Turkey Federation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and holds degrees in biology and wildlife and fisheries science. He is also a fellow of the National Conservation Leadership Institute.

Inspired from a young age and through a life of hunting, fishing, and conservation leadership, Joel is driven by a personal responsibility to protect America’s legacy of conservation, habitat, and access to ensure quality places to hunt and fish for future generations.

Here is his story.

I grew up in rural Nebraska.  Both sets of my grandparents were farmers, and I spent a lot of time as a youngster playing in the pastures and streams that wove through their farms.  My earliest memories of spending time outdoors were forged there. 

As I grew, my father took me fishing for bass and panfish on the Missouri River and in the small reservoirs and farm ponds of northeast Nebraska.  Soon, I began eagerly looking forward to our annual trips to see extended family in Minnesota, because with it came the opportunity to fish for walleye.  Before I was able to carry a shotgun, I was introduced to Nebraska’s pheasants (and the occasional bobwhite or hun) – these were the only real hunting opportunities we had in the 1970’s and 80’s – and that is where I got my start as a hunter.  I bagged my first pheasant at age 10 and I was hooked.    Since then, my fondest memories have involved the outdoors in some way – from taking my kids hunting or fishing for the first time to exploring new areas and the uniqueness of America’s public lands, each holds a special place for me. Even today, autumn Saturdays in the field, listening to Cornhusker football between hunts, still bring me back to those special, formative days.

“I’m honored that I get to bring my lifelong passions to an organization named after Theodore Roosevelt, the person that brought conservation to the forefront as an American value in the early 20^th century.”
Joel Pedersen, TRCP president and CEO

I became active in Boy Scouts as I got older, and, fortunately, my troop went camping every month, year-round.  Once, while on a trip to Philmont in New Mexico, we had a black bear raid our camp during breakfast.  This was a big deal for a kid from Nebraska! I had never seen a wild animal bigger than a coyote and I immediately had to know more about this incredible species. At that moment, I made it my life’s goal to do just that, ultimately leading me to graduate school research on the black bears in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains. This experience ignited a fire for conservation in me and it was a defining moment that kickstarted my pursuit of an incredible profession. 

As my career progressed, I was fortunate to learn from many great mentors and experience many exciting places. During my tenure at the National Wild Turkey Federation, I became a passionate turkey hunter. I’ll never forget, after many failed attempts, finally calling in and harvesting a turkey on my own – to top it off, it was a Sumter National Forest, South Carolina turkey.  Although many places claim to have the most challenging turkey hunting, I will put a South Carolina public lands bird up against any for that title!  

“I want to ensure that future generations can have the same opportunities and experiences that I have had.  It’s important to me that more of the public understand the impact that conservation has on them and how hunters and anglers have always been at its heart. ”
Joel Pedersen, TRCP president and CEO

Nowadays, when I think about places to hunt and fish, I reflect upon my roots. I appreciate the nostalgia and the memories that my time outdoors has provided. I’m a Nebraskan at heart and I still have a passion for pheasant hunting in the open fields of the Midwest - unfortunately, there is only one hunting spot from my youth that has not been tilled under in the last 40 years – and I hold many great memories of family fishing trips in Minnesota and Canada close. As I look ahead, I’m intrigued by the challenge, environment, and natural beauty of a high mountain sheep or goat hunt. I have never done it, but it is an adventure that I’d like to experience.  

However, for me, it is not the species or the location alone that is important anymore.  It is the chance to spend time alone in the field, recharging and reflecting on why I am so passionate about conservation. It is time in the field with good people, creating memories, and hopefully inspiring others to be part of our conservation movement that drives me.  

I don’t know a life without conservation.  It is at the center of my career, and at the center of my down time.  I can’t imagine what time in the field, forests, or waters would be like without it. Could we have the same experiences without the national forests that were originally set aside by Theodore Roosevelt? Without the restoration of game species that were pioneered and funded by hunters? Without public lands that were purchased by duck stamps, wildlife stamps, and Pittman–Robertson Act / Dingell-Johnson Act funds? I want to ensure that future generations can have the same opportunities and experiences that I have had.  It’s important to me that more of the public understand the impact that conservation has on them and how hunters and anglers have always been at its heart. 

“We must persevere by investing and collectively striving to ensure quality places to hunt and fish for our future generations…Conservation impacts everyone.”
Joel Pedersen, TRCP president and CEO

Look at the arc of history in our landscapes and the wildlife that live in them.  So many game species were once on the brink of extinction, and the efforts of hunters, anglers, and conservationists brought them back– in some cases to record numbers!  But the challenges to wildlife, fish, and habitat are more numerous than ever before.  It is up to us to lead in this moment so we can protect what those before us provided.  We must continue to educate, and more importantly, thoughtfully engage so that hunting, fishing, and conservation will continue to have a bright future. 

We can’t take our natural landscapes and wildlife species for granted – I am often concerned that too many people (including hunters and anglers) don’t understand how the dedication of previous generations has gotten us here. We must persevere by investing and collectively striving to ensure quality places to hunt and fish for our future generations.  Beyond that, we need to raise awareness with the greater public about how conservation affects them – whether they enjoy the land and water directly, or they just appreciate clean air and clean water.  Conservation impacts everyone.  

Beyond the fact that I have made this my career, and it has allowed me to raise a family and make innumerable like-minded friends, conservation has always been my passion.  It’s cliche, but when you show up every day to a job you are passionate about, it never seems like work.  While that’s been the case for me, being involved in conservation goes far beyond that. Giving back to the wildlife and the landscapes that have provided so many great memories are of paramount importance to me. I’m honored (and it’s pretty cool!) that I get to bring my lifelong passions to an organization named after Theodore Roosevelt, the person that brought conservation to the forefront as an American value in the early 20^th century. It is extremely humbling, and I look forward to working alongside the talented team at TRCP to further our collective vision.   

by: Noah Davis

posted in: In the Arena

August 29, 2024

In The Arena: DeAnna Bublitz

TRCP’s “In the Arena” series highlights the individual voices of hunters and anglers who, as Theodore Roosevelt so famously said, strive valiantly in the worthy cause of conservation

DeAnna Bublitz

Hometown: Apple Valley, MN
Occupation: Microbiologist
Conservation credentials: DeAnna Bublitz is the founder of DEER Camp, a gear library for hunters based in Missoula, Montana.

DeAnna Bublitz grew up in Minnesota enjoying the many state parks and open farmland the North Star state has to offer. When she moved to Montana in 2012, Bublitz wanted to become more intentional and involved with her meat consumption. She asked a friend if they would loan her gear and show her the ropes of hunting. The rest is history. Since that influential first season, Bublitz has founded DEER Camp, an organization that aims to reduce some of the financial hurdles by providing a gear library for hunters.

Here is her story.

My parents introduced me to the outdoors. They weren’t backpackers or anything, but we’d go car camping at various Minnesota state parks and on my grandparent’s farmland in Wisconsin. I grew up with a big backyard near a pond that let me perfect my frog-catching abilities. My parents also sent me to summer camps which were a major player in getting me into the outdoors. I learned to canoe and backpack at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Center in northern Minnesota, and this foundation led me to taking weeklong backpacking trips with friends along the Superior Hiking Trail in high school.

Hunting came later when I moved to Montana in 2012. After going trap shooting with my landlord (and realizing I wasn’t as terrible as I’d imagined I’d be) I wanted to see if I could be more intentional and involved with my meat consumption. So I reached out to my only friend here at the time, a friend I’d met ages ago at that same summer camp, to see if she and her husband would loan me gear and show me the ropes of hunting. And the rest is history.

I think one of my most memorable outdoor adventures was my first solo backpacking trip. I go hunting alone quite a bit, but those are always day trips or maybe to a Forest Service cabin. But just a few years ago I finally did a longer backpacking trip just myself and my dog and it was wonderful. We did a 20-mile loop over three nights in southern Montana where I didn’t pass anyone on the trail until the last three miles. My campsite for two nights was in an elk wintering ground, and they had clearly only vacated recently because their tracks and scent were all over. It was beautiful and empowering to be in that vast of a landscape with no one but my dog.

A Canadian or Alaskan moose hunt would be a dream. The landscape is just incredible so even if I didn’t get anything, I’d come away happy. And pulling a moose tag in Montana is a test of your patience and longevity.

Bublitz works on a trail crew in Montana’s Scapegoat Wilderness.

Conservation enhances my outdoor life by making it possible. Generations of advocates came before me, and they are why the large tracts of land I recreate on are available to everyone. From Missoula-local trails like Mt. Sentinel and Mt. Jumbo, to the Scapegoat Wilderness, these spaces have been conserved for recreation and wildlife alike because of conservation-minded folks.

From an early age it was instilled in me that we are all stewards of our surroundings, so being engaged with conservation issues was a natural course.
DeAnna Bublitz

One of the biggest conservation challenges in my area is development, which is maybe not what a lot of folks think about when they imagine Montana. But we have been growing population-wise for some time and the boom that came in the last few years has really put a crunch on housing. People aren’t moving here so they can live in denser cities; they want their private 20-acre ranchette on prime valley land or high up in the mountains, both options necessitating new driveways, roads, power lines, and fences. All which disrupt wildlife corridors. Wrapped up in development is every other issue you might think of facing conservation: more driving miles because folks still need to get groceries, go to the doctor, get their kids to school, and all of these activities lead to habitat fragmentation, introduction of noxious weeds, wildlife conflict, and changing attitudes of about land use, management, and access.

Bublitz with her first deer, a mule deer buck.

From an early age it was instilled in me that we are all stewards of our surroundings, so being engaged with conservation issues was a natural course. The simplest reason I’m invested in conservation is that I use and love these outdoor spaces and by extension, I care for what lives there and want it to be healthy. But I also want these places to be available for other folks in the future to discover and fall in love with. And at least in Montana, it feels really easy to get involved and create community around conservation. In a very short time, I’ve made connections with so many regional and statewide nonprofits, I am on the Board of Directors for our local rod and gun club, and these connections and activities help me stay engaged and energized in a way that is long lasting and sustainable.

Most hunters and anglers I know aren’t just in it for the harvest, so while conservation should matter for simply ensuring healthy populations of these game animals, it’s about more than that. Hunting and fishing are ways to get into the outdoors and see new places, take photos of beautiful sunrises, and more often than not, see all manner of critters that aren’t the ones you’re actually looking for. Conservation work creates better habitat for the animals we hunt and fish and subsequently, healthier populations of those animals. The efforts put into conserving the habitats of game animals typically benefits all of the other organisms that exist in those same environments, but it also makes for healthy landscapes to soak in when you’re out there and untying your line from a tree or taking your rifle for walk.

Photos Courtesy of DeAnna Bublitz.

by: Ryan Lockwood

posted in: In the Arena

August 13, 2024

In the Arena: Capt. Tyler Nonn

TRCP’s “In the Arena” series highlights the individual voices of hunters and anglers who, as Theodore Roosevelt so famously said, strive valiantly in the worthy cause of conservation.

Tyler Nonn

Hometown: Cape Charles, Virginia
Occupation: Fishing guide and owner/operator of Tidewater Charters
Conservation credentials: Nonn can be counted on to be vocal about menhaden conservation at meetings of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, in TRCP-led advocacy pushes, and other Chesapeake Bay conservation issues.

Capt. Tyler Nonn runs Tidewater Charters, a fly fishing and light tackle angling operation in the Chesapeake Bay that gets clients onto striped bass, redfish, speckled trout, and cobia. He offers a critical captain’s perspective on the importance of healthy menhaden populations when decision-makers are considering policy decisions. Nonn, a Simms ambassador who winters in the Florida Keys to target sportfish dependent on a healthy Everglades ecosystem, has been featured in The Venturing Angler and Flylords Mag.

Here is his story.

Growing up as a kid in the Upper Chesapeake Bay, I had two avenues to fish all the time. My family’s farm had a small pond on it and just as I was getting old enough to really appreciate good fishing, the moratorium on striped bass was first lifted. Upper Bay seasons were created that allowed me and many other anglers to enjoy the eruption of giant fish on the shallow flats and rivers creating some of the best fishing you could ask for. So between ponds, phenomenal Bay fishing, and crabbing with my father and friends the outdoors consumed me and all my time.

“I still come back to the Chesapeake… because chasing the inshore species that call this place home is my passion.”

Probably my most memorable outdoor experience was working in Alaska through the summers of my early 20s. Coming from the East Coast, it was very different and exciting to learn completely new techniques and to apply them to a fishery far from anything I had ever experienced.

I have been fortunate to travel and fish in a lot of places in this country and in several others. But I still come back to the Chesapeake not only because my business is here, but because chasing the inshore species that call this place home is my passion. Giant striped bass, redfish, cobia, speckled trout, and other species make it nearly a year-round fishery.

Like everywhere the Bay has plenty of problems. The biggest conservation challenge we have here, in my opinion, is the division or separation within the user groups of our natural resources. I feel like this is common in many places. In the end everyone wants more fish in one way or another, but the separation of user groups makes fisheries issues very politically charged, and more often than not really difficult to get anything positive accomplished.

I watch the intense harvest of “bunker,” or Atlantic menhaden, most of the year in the lower portions of the Bay and near coastal waters. As far as the impact on sportfishing goes, when the bait is present it completely changes the landscape of fishing. Fish hold consistently in areas when bait like menhaden are abundant. Then as it diminishes fish move out of areas nearly instantly. Even the differences in fishing conditions from Virginia to Maryland portions of the Bay are incredibly different, even sometimes just a few miles apart.

Conservation directly impacts my entire life and everything in it. Without fish and the opportunity to catch them, I wouldn’t have my business – or more importantly, fuel to feed my lifelong passion. It’s important for myself and everyone to be involved in conservation because it’s our legacy as anglers. I really enjoy fishing, to say the least, and I want others to be able to have the same experiences that I have been able to have, or even better in the future.

“Everyone should have the future of our fisheries in mind.”

Just like generations before us, and the generations to come, everyone should have the future of our fisheries in mind. Fishermen are some of the greatest conservationists and supporters of wildlife, and hunters as well. This will no doubt be our saving grace as time marches on and people continue to want to enjoy the outdoors.

Photo credits: Tyler Nonn