Trenches? What "trenches?"

Conservation in this day and age is tough. I use the war metaphor at times, but that's pretty obviously over the top. Sometimes the "trenches" of conservation are found in places like middle school classrooms.

I'm proud to work with Jake Duplessie in my local TU chapter. He runs our Trout in the Classroom Project which is a huge success.

Jake got a little recognition for his hard work. Well-deserved recognition for a man who, year after year, organizes meetings, teachers, biologists, fish eggs and much more to ensure that the next generation has a chance at understanding the wonders of piscatorial life.

This is what happens when stop talking and start doing. Nice work, Jake.

Get off thy ass.

A pissing match may be in the offing. Thee antagonist is a good guy, your protagonist the better (it’s my blog, I’m allowed). Your protagonist, however, is a good writer (see previous parenthetical), but thee antagonist is better. All of it raises, for me, a set of questions I’ve struggled with a long time which fall under the heading “The contemplative versus the activist life.”

Others have addressed the subject far more eloquently. Here’s an interview with David James Duncan where he addresses the problem. http://weberstudies.weber.edu/archive/archive%20D%20Vol.%2018.2-21.1/Vol.%2019.2/SumnerDuncan.htm

Mr. Duncan discusses it in more depth in one of his esssays published in “My Life as Told by Water.” If you haven’t read it, shame on you.

I hope thee antagonist reads it and discovers where writing fits. He could follow Mr. Duncan’s example and if he was a quarter as effective, I’d grovel at his feet and sing his praises.

The problem is that, as discussed elsewhere on this blog, I am a flyfisher, a rodmaker, a furniture maker, a father, a soccer coach, and a river activist. In all these endeavors I look for the opportunity to recharge. Fishing fits that bill quite well. When was the last time I was fishing? Can’t really remember. Why is that? Because I’m worried if I don’t choose to live as an activist the fishing won’t exist for long. On the other hand, I worry if I don’t fish, the fishing won’t exist for long and I’ll flat out miss it. How do I resolve these quandaries? Actions speak, I haven’t fished in the state of Idaho since January 1.

Ultimately, working as a river advocate brings its own rewards. I can be righteously indignant at those who don’t do it. I get great information from folks who know I can be trusted with it. I hang out with folks who not only share my passion, but who act on it, day after day (these are good folks). And I go to sleep at night knowing that I’ve at least tried to make my world a better place.

Really, though, it’s the righteous indignation thing.

Get off thy ass and get to work. Our rivers need you.