Volunteers are the lifeblood of Trout Unlimited. Across the nation, over 10,000 members donate their time every year to lead and carry out conservation efforts at the local, state and national levels.

Every other month in this space, we’ll showcase a "Volunteer Hero" to recognize and honor his or her dedication, commitment and good work toward our conservation mission. We begin this series with a profile of Marcia Woolman. If you know someone who is an exceptionally motivated and effective volunteer, contact Russ Schnitzer (rschnitzer@tu.org).

Marcia Woolman

Marcia Woolman joined TU because she wanted to catch trout. But during the 19 years since she attended her first TU meeting, she has come to understand that TU is much more than a fishing club. Her concern for coldwater streams, the fish in them and the land around them has grown along with her attachment to the sport of fly fishing.

Today, Marcia, a retired school teacher, devotes much of her time serving as the president of the Rapidan Chapter in Virginia. Her passion for Virginia’s trout streams has helped her develop one of TU’s most actively involved, successful and dedicated chapters. Here are some highlights:

Conservation

In 1998, Marcia conducted her first conservation project as Rapidan Chapter president: The chapter partnered with the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Forest Service and landowners along the Rose River to create buffers along sections that had been severely eroded by floods. Thanks in part to the chapter’s commitment to keeping the river healthy, the landowners have since agreed to keep their cattle out of the restored areas, allowing the habitat to continue healing.

Outreach and Education

In 1999, the Rapidan Chapter began an initiative to raise awareness about acid rain. It assisted with the Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study by helping to monitor some of the 400 trout streams in the state to better determine the impacts of acid rain. The study showed that over 50% of Virginia’s brook trout streams are harmed by acid rain. Today, the chapter is educating local communities about threats to clean air and water, and fighting for legislation that will curb the pollutants that cause acid rain.

Women as Leaders

Marcia jokes that the most challenging aspect of being a TU leader is leading a group comprised mostly of men, but she has never let that challenge keep her from accomplishing chapter goals. In fact, a large part of her time is spent encouraging more women to participate in fly fishing and conservation by teaching at Casting for Recovery retreats.

A Giver, Not a Taker

As a TU member, environmentalist and angler, Marcia works to realize what we all hope for–that by increasing involvement in TU, we can increase the likelihood that our coldwater resources will remain protected now and in the future. She demonstrates what one dedicated leader can do to strengthen her chapter, to strengthen TU and to ensure that there are coldwater stewards.

Marcia is proud of her work with TU, and rightly so. Her chapter received the Silver Trout award at TU’s 2000 national convention, one of the highest conservation awards that TU bestows on its chapters. Marcia and the Rapidan Chapter were also featured on Trout Unlimited Television, testimony to their vital conservation work.

Marcia may have joined TU to learn how to fly fish, but when asked why she’s involved today, she says, "TU has been the most dramatic change in my life…[TU] has become the benchmark of my thinking and it started the very first day…it’s the difference between being a taker and a giver."