Trout Unlimited and partner organizations are preparing to send a group of commercial fishermen, anglers, guides and yacht-tour operators to Washington, D.C., next month to push for stronger conservation of fish habitat in the Tongass National Forest of Southeast Alaska. The group will meet with key lawmakers and agency leaders to seek changes in the Forest Service budget for the Tongass, the country's largest national forest and its top salmon producer. They will lobby for fish habitat conservation and watershed restoration to become top priorities for the Forest Service, reflected in the agency's budget.

In a recent blog post, Sitka Conservation Society's Andrianna Natsoulas wrote about why the Forest Service budget for the Tongass no longer makes sense as it emphasizes timber and road-building over fisheries, watersheds and restoration. It's worth checking out.