Pennsylvania: Blueprint for Building Partnerships and Recommendations for Scaling Brook Trout Restoration in Stronghold and Persistent Patches
May 29, 2025 - May 29, 2025DuBois, Pennsylvania
This workshop convened in-person on Thursday, May 29th, 2025 at Lakeview Lodge in DuBois, PA. This was the first day of a two-day workshop; the second day of this workshop convened in Maryland on June 3rd.
The Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) will host two separate one-day workshops for the purpose of strategizing implementation of priority best management practices to successfully recolonize, recover or repatriate brook trout populations. This workshop will convene experts from Chesapeake Bay Program Goal Implementation Teams and Workgroups, conservation organizations, regional coordinators, funding program administrators, and other relevant organizations in Baltimore, Carroll, and Garrett Counties in Maryland (May/June 2025) and Potter and Clearfield Counties in Pennsylvania (May/June 2025). Workshop participants will identify and synthesize the science needed, and local considerations and needs, to develop an actionable large-scale restoration plan to increase brook trout occupancy, abundance and resiliency within and among stronghold and/or persistent patches in priority geographies.
Final Agenda: PA_Brook Trout Workshop Agenda
Essential Materials to Review:
- STAC Draft Restoration Plan Outline
- CBP Brook Trout Outcome Language
- Chesapeake Bay Trust July 2024 Report: Facilitating Brook Trout Outcome Attainability through Coordination with CBP Jurisdictions and Partners
Supplemental/Related Materials:
- Flourishing Landscapes: Planting Forests and Meadows Across Pennsylvania
- Bureau of Recreation and Conservation Regional Advisors 2025
- Watershed Forestry Specialist Map 2024 (PA DCNR)
- Watershed Forestry Funding Opportunities for Professionals (PA DCNR)
- Participants (virtual_in-person)
Workshop Steering Committee:
*STAC Member
- Dan Goetz, MD DNR, Co-Chair
- Katie Ombalski, Woods and Waters Consulting, Co-Chair
- Kevin Brittingham, Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability
- Katie Brownson, US Forest Service
- Josh Glace, Larson Design Group
- Ben Harris, Trout Unlimited
- Gina Hunt, MD DNR
- Scott Knoche*, Morgan State PEARL
- Lori Maloney, Canaan Valley Institute
- Mitch Masser, Carroll County Bureau of Resource Management
- Bruce Michael, Garrett County Department of Community Development
- Laura Cattell Noll, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
- Molly Ramsey, Garrett County Department of Community Development
- Shawn Rummel, Trout Unlimited
- Nick Staten, CRC
- Kelly Williams, Clearfield County Conservation District
- Amy Wolfe, Trout Unlimited
Presentations:
- Workshop Introduction and Brook Trout Threat Assessment — Dan Goetz (MD DNR)
- Programmatic Overviews from Experts
- Wild Brook Trout Overview — Jason Detar (PA Fish and Boat Commission), Tyler Wagner (USGS Coop-PSU)
- PA NRCS and Brook Trout — Chris Peters (NRCS)
- Implementing Watershed Forestry Practices Across PA — Danielle Rihel (PA DCNR)
- Jon Smoyer (PA DEP BAMR), did not present slides
- PA Conservation Districts and Countywide Action Plans — Kelly Williams (Clearfield County Conservation District), Josh Glace (Potter County Conservation District
- Dirt, Gravel and Low Volume Roads (DGLVR) Program — Steve Bloser (Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads; PSU)
- Aquatic Management Plans for PA State Forest Lands — Robin Eng (PA DCNR)
If you have any questions, please contact Meg Cole, STAC Coordinator, at colem@chesapeake.org.